CAREER: Improved Image Acquisition for Brain Functional MRI

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

0092672 Song Functional MRI (fMRI) is a new method that can non-invasively study brain function. Since its inception nine years ago, it has seen rapid progress both in the technical development and in vivo applications. However, there are still limitations in the acquisition methodology that may affect the reliability and sensitivity of fMRI. The need for more reliable, efficient and innovative imaging acquisition strategies that improve the sensitivity and specificity is urgent. In the meantime, the educational curriculum concerned with this new field is relatively limited and teaching materials addressing some current and critical issues are few. In this proposal, we plan to develop new data acquisition methods and to create educational curriculum for fMRI. The first goal requires the development of fMRI acquisition methods that are reliable, sensitive and efficient. Specific emphasis will be placed upon improving the specificity of the functional signal to better co-localize with the neuronal activity, improving the sensitivity of fMRI to subtle changes, and recovering signal from brain regions that experience signal drop-out from large-scale susceptibility artifacts. The second goal requires the creation of undergraduate course work on MRI and fMRI and graduate research program for fMRI. The new educational curriculum will build a solid foundation of the MRI and fMRI knowledge for the students and also educate them with the latest development in the literature, thus better preparing them to participate in and contribute to this rapid evolving research field.