[Imaging Agora] 4/3/17 Sam Patz – “Functional Neuro-Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Elastography”
The next Imaging Agora is scheduled for next Monday, April 3 at 4:30 pm in 110 Cummington Rm 245. Our presenter is Sam Patz, Professor of Radiology Harvard Medical School and Director of Low Field and Pulmonary MRI Labs at BWH. The title and abstract are below. Pizza will be served.
Functional Neuro-Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Elastography
An entirely new method to measure brain function and that is based on Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) will be presented. Initial data have been obtained by applying an electrical stimulation to the hind limb of mice. This functional stimulation results in a localized increase in observed cortical stiffness. Mechanisms that could potentially explain this phenomenon will be discussed. Of fundamental importance is whether or not the underlying mechanism responsible for the observed change in stiffness is related to primary or secondary neuronal activity. Measurement of brain function with MRI is typically accomplished with a technique known as functional-MRI (fMRI) that is based on a secondary response to neuronal activity. This well know Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) effect is due to a neuro-vascular coupling where MR contrast depends on the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin. The BOLD effect is rather slow with a time constant ranging from 2-6 seconds. Additional data will be presented showing that the functional MRE (fMRE) response is much faster and therefore is potentially measuring fundamental primary neuronal processes.