I want to start a MRI study....

So you want to start a MRI study?  Well, there are several things that need to be addressed.  This outline will help make sure that you have prepared yourselves for your first scan session. 

After you have decided upon the research question you are asking, and have worked out a design for your study, it is time to start thinking about the nuts and bolts of getting things up and working.

1. Human Subjects Committee Approval

HSC approval is critical to your study’s existence. The Human Subjects Committee must approve your research protocol before any subjects can be run. They have a website that outlines this process and provides you with all the necessary forms to initiate the approval process. These can be found HERE.   All investigators must also complete an online human subjects training, which can be accessed HERE.

HSC approval can be a lengthy process, so submit your protocol as soon as it is finalized. As a recommendation, we would suggest that when you write up your protocol that, as well as describing everything your experiment includes, your consent form gives you the ability to run 2-3 single session pilots as well as all of the subjects that you want to include.

Also, in writing your consent form you will want to include this information about "possible findings."

Once you have received HSC approval for your protocol it is now time to fill out the “MRI Time Request.” This form will ask for various information (i.e. funding source, HSC approval number, number of subjects…) and you are to fill the entire form out. Once this form has been submitted it goes to Donna Cole, our Lab Manager, to organize a MRUsers committee meeting.

The MRUsers committee will sit down and review the request/protocol. We will make sure the lab can supply you with any special requests you have and then check what times you have suggested for “Scanner Time” with our own scan calendar to see what is available. To see the MRI availability time you can contact contact Michael J. Anderle to receive both username and password to our online calendar.

2. Safety Training

The next step that you need to address is safety training. The MRI environment is one that has the potential to be extremely dangerous to you and to your subjects. The highest safety precautions need to be taken to ensure that no accident will happen. Everyone in your research group who will be present during your scans will need to watch the safety video and be safety screened by someone who is qualified to do so. No scans will be collected until everyone involved with your scans has seen the video tape and been safety screened. A good note to take into consideration is that it is better to have fewer people involved with scans as possible……fewer people, fewer possible accidents. To see the video and be safety screened please contact Donna Cole @ 265.8107. For more information on MR safety related issues please go HERE

3. Equipment Set-up

Once you have seen the MRI safety video and have been screened you now can have access to the stimulus equipment. For visual stimulus presentation we have the Avotec Silent Vision System, Resonance Technology Goggles, and a video back-projection system. Integrated into the Avotec Silent Vision System is our iView eye-tracking system. For audio stimulus presentation we have the Avotec Audio System and Resonance Technology Audio. There are three intercom systems that can be used to communicate with the subject. One is integrated into the scanner, the other two are part of the Avotec Audio System and Resonance Technology Audio. For stimulus delivery we have a PC equipped with XP running E-Prime, Presentation and DMDX. To record subject responses while they are in the magnet we have a four button inline button box and a two button bimanual and both are integrated with the PC. To ensure data quality we have a vacuum pillow to help the subject keep from moving.

Lastly, as well as collecting the brain data you can also acquire ancillary measures such as heart rate, respiration, pupilometry, eye tracking and skin conductance data. Recall that all of thee measures must be integrated into your IRB protocol. If you have any questions about these measures please contact Michael J. Anderle.

All of this equipment is here for you to use.

The best way to figure out what systems you are going to use is to sit down and learn the capabilities of each. We have trained staff here that can help you make these very important decisions. The best thing that you can do is not rush into scanning. Take some time to carefully plan out what scan equipment will be used and then test it many, many times with your paradigm. This will make sure that when it comes time to run a real subject that everything works correctly. To setup a time with someone, go over the equipment, and learn the rules of the MRI control/scanning room please contact Michael J. Anderle.

4. MR Protocol

Once you have all of your equipment setup and your paradigm works well it is time to start thinking about your MRI protocol. An MRI protocol is a sheet that will be given to the scan technician on the day of the scan. This will give the technician instructions as to what parameters to use when scanning your subjects. In general, the technician needs to know what anatomicals you want to collect, and how many fMRI scans you want to collect. The detailed side of this will include things such as TR and TE, the acquisition orientation, flip angle, whole/partial brain coverage, slice/gap, fov, number of slices, and number of boldreps in the fMRI scan. If you have questions about any of these parameters again, we have trained people here in the lab who can help you. Many of the parameters in the MR Protocol will be determined by which areas of the brain that you wish to look at. To have an example protocol sent to you or if you have questions about what parameters you should use please contact Michael J. Anderle.

5. Subjects

Lastly, you need to know how to go about subject preparation. Upon first contact, it is imperative that you do a metal screen. To see the metal screening form that we use here at the Keck Laboratory click HERE.

You will be taught how to use this form when you, yourself get screened. If a question arises as to whether or not the subject screened is MR compatible, contact Michael J. Anderle for more information. The reason we do the metal screening on the first contact is you want to be able to find out right away if the person in question will be MR compatible.

Depending on your subject population, you may want to “simulate” your subjects before they come to their scan. If your subjects are younger or have a condition that would prevent them from relaxing in the scanner you may want to acclimate them to the unique environment of the MRI before the scan. To do this the lab houses a simulator room. This room has a mock MRI scanner, fiber optic goggle system, and auditory system with two control computers. This room helps you introduce your subjects to the identical experimental procedures that they will experience in the actual scanner. This helps ensure subject comfort and data quality. If you choose to run simulations on subjects it is best to schedule the “sim session” approximately a week before the scan. To see the simulator room availability time you can contact contact Michael J. Anderle to receive both username and password to our online calendar.

You should again do a metal screening form to make sure nothing has changed since your first contact, and if so, the week prior gives you time to check with the appropriate people to make sure your subject will be safe.  At the end of your simulation session we have made an information sheet to give to your subjects.  If you are not going to run a simulation the information on this sheet should be read to the subject via phone.

6. Day of Scan

The day you have been waiting for. On this day you will want to arrive approximately 30min – 1hour before your scan. This gives you time to prep the magnet room, test the equipment with your paradigm, and give any questionnaires to the subject before the scan. Many investigators use a Run Log that has a detailed account of what needs to be checked with the equipment to make sure all works and runs smoothly. Do not assume that because everything worked the week prior that the setup has not changed. Many groups use our facilities and have particular setups that modify the equipment. You need to test everything (stimulus presentation, button box response, eye-tracking calibration) to make sure your study will work.

We have a subject prep room right outside the magnet room T170. You have access to this room for one hour before your scan. In this room you will give any last questionnaires needed, have the subject fill out the consent form, do one last metal screening, and de-metal the subject. After the subject has been prepped you will want to bring in the screening form and consent form to the technician. The technician will then take that information and enter it into the scanner. He can not scan until he has both up-to-date screening form and signed consent form with HSC stamp of approval. After the technician is ready he will have you go get the subject and he will do one last verbal metal screen. At that point, the subject can then, and only then, enter the magnet room. If you need to administer more questionnaires after your scan you can get a testing room in the waisman center. Recall the next group will be in the subject prep room by the time your scan is done.

7.Data 

After data has been collected both p-files and anatomicals will immediately be transferred off of the scanner and on to our study drive (Y:) in the lab. The technician will make a backup of the anatomicals on optical disk for future use. Before you start processing your data you will want to make a backup of both p-files and anatomicals. If you will be processing your data elsewhere there are two routes we can take : 1. we can put p-files and anatomicals on an anonymous ftp server, or 2. burn data to CD rom.