title: What you need to know to become a MEG technologist.
abstract: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a way to noninvasively localize sources of electrical activity within the human brain, by measuring the very weak magnetic fields just outside of the head. This paper is an introduction to MEG for technologists who are interested in performing MEG studies. We have organized the paper into a brief overview of what MEG measures and how it does it, as well as a short history of the MEG manufacturers. There is a discussion of the differences in coils/sensors used to detect the magnetic fields, followed by a detailed description of what an average MEG technologist does to perform a MEG study. Some MEG centers may require more duties from the MEG technologist than are listed here and others may require fewer duties. We finish the paper with the contraindications for a MEG study, a job description for the MEG technologist, and a MEG procedure checklist to help keep the tasks organized.
authors.affiliation: Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ebersole
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bowyer
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States