title: Single-shot T2(*) measurement to establish optimum echo time for fMRI: studies of the visual, motor, and auditory cortices at 3.0 T.
abstract: The signal change in fMRI is dependent on the echo time and the rate of decay of transverse magnetization. The latter factor may vary across regions of the brain as a result of variations in field homogeneity. Previous measurements of the signal change with echo time have generally employed relatively slow multi-echo techniques, which may be sensitive to movement and habituation effects. Here a fast T(2)(*) measurement technique, involving the generation of six low-resolution echo planar images from a single FID, is described, and its use in the evaluation of the optimum echo time for visual, motor, and auditory fMRI experiments at 3.0 T is outlined.
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clare
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bowtell
mesh_terms: D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*