title: SSFSE sequence functional MRI of the human cervical spinal cord with complex finger tapping.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Functional MR imaging of the human cervical spinal cord was carried out on volunteers during alternated rest and a complex finger tapping task, in order to detect image intensity changes arising from neuronal activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional MR imaging data using single-shot fast spin-echo sequence (SSFSE) with echo time 42.4 ms on a 1.5 T GE Clinical System were acquired in eight subjects performing a complex finger tapping task. Cervical spinal cord activation was measured both in the sagittal and transverse imaging planes. Postprocessing was performed by AFNI (Analysis of Functional Neuroimages) software system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intensity changes (5.5-7.6%) were correlated with the time course of stimulation and were consistently detected in both sagittal and transverse imaging planes of the cervical spinal cord. The activated regions localized to the ipsilateral side of the spinal cord in agreement with the neural anatomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional MR imaging signals can be reliably detected with finger tapping activity in the human cervical spinal cord using a SSFSE sequence with 42.4 ms echo time. The anatomic location of neural activity correlates with the muscles used in the finger tapping task.
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China. xiechuhai@hotmail.com
authors: Chu-hai
authors: CH
authors: Xie
authors: Kang-mei
authors: KM
authors: Kong
authors: Ji-tian
authors: JT
authors: Guan
authors: Ye-xi
authors: YX
authors: Chen
authors: Jian-kang
authors: JK
authors: He
authors: Wei-li
authors: WL
authors: Qi
authors: Xin-jia
authors: XJ
authors: Wang
authors: Zhi-wei
authors: ZW
authors: Shen
authors: Ren-hua
authors: RH
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*