Equipment

[Image: Trio]

The Center for Advanced Brain Imaging is a 6000 square foot facility dedicated to understanding brain function. The center is located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. Our partner is the Biomedical Imaging Technology Center.

Hardware at the center

  • The center houses a Siemens Trio 3T MRI equipped with a 12 channel headcoil for rapid parallel imaging of the brain. Example images are available on our protocols web page.
  • A MRI compatible wheelchair is available for transport.
  • Wireless cardiac and respiration monitors allow physiological artifact correction.
  • Entry to the scanner requires passing through a FerrAlert Halo system. Traditional metal detectors are triggered by non-ferrous metals such as titanium implants. In contrast, this system specifically detects ferromagnetic material that could interact with the magnetic field. This reduces the chance of false-alarms, and also allows a sensitivity level that would be unsuitable for a conventional metal detector.
  • The Avotec Silent Vision 6011 is a computer projector. Because it is MRI compatible, it is mounted inside the scanner hall, and does not require a wave guide.
  • The Avotec Silent Scan 3100 stereo air-conduction headphones.
  • The Avotec Real Eye 5701 allows us to track eye movements while participants are inside the scanner.
  • Our PST fiber optic response gloves allow particpants to make responses during scanning. Button presses are recorded using a USB output.
  • The Current Designs fORP allow particpants to make button presses or use a trackball while in the scanner. These communicate with a computer using USB.
  • We have a PST MRI simulator that allows us to acclimatize particpants to the confined and loud environment of the MRI scanner. This mock scanner is useful for training children to be comfortable in the scanner, and allows individuals to practice behavioral tasks.
  • A pair of Neuronetics Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation systems are available to better understand brain function, and has a dedicated research lab (this system is not MRI compatible).
  • A ANT Visor neuro navigation tracker allows us to coregister MRI scans with scalp coordinates (using a NDI Polaris Vicra optical tracker). This is useful for transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation.
  • We have a state-of-the-art Linux cluster running Sun Grid Engine. Users can sit down at any one of these computers and harness the power of the entire cluster.
  • We have a computer server with RAID backup for hosting data and ensuring data integrity.
  • Our wireless 6-channel TMSi Mobi allows us to measure motor evoked responses during TMS and tDCS studies.
  • We use Piezo Systems ceramic actuators to provide tactile stimuli during fMRI studies.
  • tDCS can be delivered using a ActivaDose system.

Software at the Center

  • MRIcroGL The center’s free tool for viewing brain images.
  • dcm2nii, MRIcron, NPM The center’s free tools for image conversion, advanced viewing and data analysis.
  • We created ELEcro and a EMG recorder for the analysis and acquisition of electrophyiological data. These tools support the BrainVision Analyzer format, allowing us to use other popular tools such as the free and popular EEGLAB.
  • MRIcro The center’s classic tool for viewing images.
  • MRIcro, MRIcron, MRIcroGL, NPM and dcm2nii The center’s own tools for image viewing and format conversion.
  • BrainVoyager Tools for fMRI analysis.
  • DirectRT a useful tool for presenting perceptual stimuli.
  • E-Prime a useful tool for presenting perceptual stimuli. We have a page describing setting up E-Prime to work with the Siemens Trio scanner.
  • AFNI includes robust tools for structural and functional imaging.
  • virtual MR is a great instructional tool.
  • FSL a complete toolkit for analyzing functional and structural MRI data.
  • SPM a complete toolkit for analyzing functional and structural MRI data.
  • MedINRIA Excellent tools for DTI and general viewing.
  • We use TMS Motor Threshold Assessment Tool (MTAT) to calibrate our transcranial magnetic stimulation amplitude.
  • To see a list of recent changes and updates to the CABI software, visit our software updates page.