Magnetic Resonance Imaging with BIOPAC Equipment

MRI Signal Conditioning—Automated Routines

Run the Magnetic Resonance Imaging routines for automated signal conditioning to focus on the signal of interest by removing MR gradient and other interference. Use individual filter options from the Transform and Analysis menus to further refine data cleaning parameters.

AcqKnowledge Filters for Additional Signal Clean-up

When subjects are monitored in the fMRI, imaging sequence types impact the physiological signal recording.

• In the case of Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) imaging, T1 is unaffected by blood oxygen levels but T2 is greatly affected by blood oxygen levels. Impact varies based on the type of Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Effect (BOLD) Imaging, including
  • Echo Planar Imaging (EPI): EPI is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method valuable to neuroscience. EPI is employed for nearly all functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion imaging of neural fiber connections in the brain.
  • Multiband (MB) Excitation: MB excitation, during EPI, allows for the simultaneous acquisition of multiple slices during imaging. MB factor 6, means that six slices are acquired in the same time that one slice would be acquired during regular EPI. This technique is helpful for fMRI studies to improve the statistical definition of neural fiber connections and for diffusion-based imaging neural fiber tractography, to visualize structural connections in the brain.
    • Axial EPI MB scans generate significant harmonics in the recorded physiological data at the point of scanning commencement; Coronal EPI MB scans generate significantly less harmonic energy.
  • Multiplexed-EPI (M-EPI) Sequencing: M-EPI sequencing combines two forms of image acquisition multiplexing: time-based multiplexing (T) and space-based multiplexing (S) with Multiband RF pulses to acquire (T x S) images in an EPI sequence instead of just one image. M-EPI provides a substantial increase in time resolution and higher statistical power for fMRI, resulting in improved image resolution.

In these cases, the resulting scanning artifact can’t be removed by the MRI Smart Amplifiers because it falls close enough to the range and type of the physiological signal of interest. However, the data can be cleaned in AcqKnowledge by employing a comb-band-stop (CBS) filter to remove the offending harmonics, in post-processing or real time. The data will be well-scrubbed of artifact but some non-harmonic-related artifact presence will remain; this artifact is likely related to non-homogeneous qualities associated with the subject’s body and switching magnetic fields. Request Application Note 283 to learn more about fMRI Imaging Sequencing Effects upon Physiological Measurement.

Advanced Features Spotlight

MRI Trigger / R-wave Synch

Use the DTU100 Digital Trigger Unit to trigger an MRI System with the occurrence of the R-wave present in ECG, respiratory data or blood pressure for More...

Remote Monitor - IP-Based Network Display

Simplified view of subject data on another computer or mobile device. Remote Monitoring provides a simple browser interface, from which acquisitions can be started, stopped More...

MRI Small Animal Monitoring

The BIOPAC MP160 System supports small animal MRI monitoring system for ECG, Heart Rate, EMG, blood pressure, respiration, temperature, pulse oximetry, CO2 and O2 gas More...

MRI Airflow

The TSD117-MRI is used outside the bore in the MRI Chamber Room and AFT7-L tubing is connected to reach the subject. Use coupler AFT11D to add More...

MRI ECG Recording

Record ECG, heart rate, and R-R interval from a subject inside a functional MRI with a BIOPAC MP150 data acquisition system. The AcqKnowledge software (included More...