Open AccessAtlas‐based multichannel monitoring of functional MRI signals in real‐time: Automated approach
Author(s) -
Lee JongHwan,
O'Leary Heather M.,
Park Hyunwook,
Jolesz Ferenc A.,
Yoo SeungSchik
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.20377
Subject(s) - computer science , blood oxygenation , brain–computer interface , artificial intelligence , atlas (anatomy) , brain mapping , brain activity and meditation , computer vision , functional magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , psychology , medicine , electroencephalography , anatomy
We report an automated method to simultaneously monitor blood‐oxygenation‐level‐dependent (BOLD) MR signals from multiple cortical areas in real‐time. Individual brain anatomy was normalized and registered to a pre‐segmented atlas in standardized anatomical space. Subsequently, using real‐time fMRI (rtfMRI) data acquisition, localized BOLD signals were measured and displayed from user‐selected areas labeled with anatomical and Brodmann's Area (BA) nomenclature. The method was tested on healthy volunteers during the performance of hand motor and internal speech generation tasks employing a trial‐based design. Our data normalization and registration algorithm, along with image reconstruction, movement correction and a data display routine were executed with enough processing and communication bandwidth necessary for real‐time operation. Task‐specific BOLD signals were observed from the hand motor and language areas. One of the study participants was allowed to freely engage in hand clenching tasks, and associated brain activities were detected from the motor‐related neural substrates without prior knowledge of the task onset time. The proposed method may be applied to various applications such as neurofeedback, brain‐computer‐interface, and functional mapping for surgical planning where real‐time monitoring of region‐specific brain activity is needed. Hum Brain Mapp 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.