Magnetic Resonance Laboratory (MRI Lab) | CIMEC - Centre for Mind/Brain sciences

Mission

The Magnetic Resonance (MR) lab allows users to acquire advanced human MRI data (e.g. fMRI, DTI, VBM, Spectroscopy) with cutting-edge MRI technologies. The mission of the lab is to provide a safe and effective environment to its users, in order to allow them to focus exclusively on the scientific content of their experiment.

Resources

MR system

Siemens Prisma 3T: actively shielded, whole body 3 Tesla magnet, 80mT/m gradients with a slew rate of 200 T/m/s. The MR system is equipped with a 20 channels RF coil and a 64 channels RF coil for experimental neuroimaging applications.

The purchase of the RM System was supported by the Caritro Foundation.

Peripheral equipment

32” LCD for visual stimuli (NNL);
optic fiber digital microphone with noise cancellation for vocal registration during imaging;
on-board Audio system (Siemens pneumatic headphones and earplugs);
2 x 4 button response pads;
MR compatible glass frames (adult and pediatric, max -4 and +4);
tactile piezoelectric stimulator;
Eye Tracker (Eyelink1000);
MR-compatible EEG (Brainamp, 64 channels);
galvanic skin responses (Brainamp GSR);
physiological data monitoring and recording (ECG, pOx, respiration pulses);
other equipment can be made available upon request, after feasibility study.

Services offered

support in the definition of safety and technical aspects of research protocols involving the acquisition of human MRI data (achieved through a project proposal meeting to be held before the submission of the project to the ethical committee);
optimization of pulse sequences and acquisition protocols;
feasibility studies on new experimental setups;
periodic safety training of all researchers that need to enter the lab;
slot assignment;
participant preparation (safety screening, paperwork, positioning and handling);
provision of health staff to carry on the image acquisition tasks (physician and radiographer);
monitoring of the environment during the experimental activity;
maintenance and update of the scanner and the peripheral equipment;
scanner room preparation and peripheral equipment setup;
monitoring of stimulation setup;
acquisition of structural and functional sequences on the console;
management of MR images, metadata and data;
data Anonymization and data transfer;
archiving activity (paperworks and digital).

Staff

Manuela Orsini, Radiographer
Nicola Pace, Safety Expert
Stefano Tambalo, Technician

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Mission

Resources

MR system

Peripheral equipment

Services offered

Staff

Contacts

Links

How to propose your project