Practical aspects of functional MRI (NMR Task Group #8).
Functional MR imaging (fMRI) based upon the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) effect is currently an important new tool for understanding basic brain function and specifically allowing the correlation of physiological activity with anatomical location without the use of ionizing radiation. The clinical role of fMRI is still being defined and is the subject of much research activity. In this report we present the underlying physical, technical and mathematical principals of BOLD fMRI along with descriptions of typical applications. Our purpose in this report is to provide, in addition to basic principles, an insight into the aspects of BOLD imaging, which may be used by the medical physicist to assist in the implement of fMRI procedures in either a hospital or research environment.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2675, USA. ron.price@mcmail.vanderbuilt.edu
Ronald R
RR
Price
Jerry
J
Allison
Richard J
RJ
Massoth
Geoffrey D
GD
Clarke
Dick J
DJ
Drost
D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D013113:Spin Labels
D013113:Spin Labels; D010100:Oxygen