Functional MRI of brain activation induced by scanner acoustic noise

• Published in: Magnetic resonance in medicine Vol. 39; no. 3; p. 410
• Main Authors: Bandettini, P A, Jesmanowicz, A, Van Kylen, J, Birn, R M, Hyde, J S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-03-1998
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Auditory Cortex - physiology; Echo-Planar Imaging; Humans; Image Enhancement; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetics; Motor Cortex - physiology; Motor Skills - physiology; Noise; Radio Waves; Reproducibility of Results; Subtraction Technique; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0740-3194
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.1910390311

A method is introduced by which brain activation caused by the acoustic noise associated with echo planar imaging (EPI) is mapped. Two types of time series were compared. The first time series, considered the "task," involved applying only EPI gradients for 20 s without the application of RF pulses, then, without pause, starting image collection. The second, considered the "control," involved typical sequential image acquisition without the prior gradient pulses. Subtraction of the first 5 s of the two time series revealed signal enhancement mainly in the primary auditory cortex. The technique was validated using a motor cortex task that mimicked the hypothesized scanner noise induced activation.