Sensitivity to White Matter FMRI Activation Increases with Field Strength

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2013 Mar 14

PMID 23483983

Citations 33

Authors

Erin L Mazerolle

Jodie R Gawryluk

Kim N H Dillen

Steven A Patterson

Kirk W Feindel

Steven D Beyea

M Tynan R Stevens

Aaron J Newman

Matthias H Schmidt

Ryan C N DArcy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation in white matter is controversial. Given that many of the studies that report fMRI activation in white matter used high field MRI systems, we investigated the field strength dependence of sensitivity to white matter fMRI activation. In addition, we evaluated the temporal signal to noise ratio (tSNR) of the different tissue types as a function of field strength. Data were acquired during a motor task (finger tapping) at 1.5 T and 4 T. Group and individual level activation results were considered in both the sensorimotor cortex and the posterior limb of the internal capsule. We found that sensitivity increases associated with field strength were greater for white matter than gray matter. The analysis of tSNR suggested that white matter might be less susceptible to increases in physiological noise related to increased field strength. We therefore conclude that high field MRI may be particularly advantageous for fMRI studies aimed at investigating activation in both gray and white matter.

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