Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging

The Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging (CFMI) provides access to a 3T MRI Scanner, a stand-alone high-density EEG system and two Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) systems.

Services and Instrumentation

3T MRI Scanner

This instrument can perform functional MRI (fMRI) to examine neuronal activation using different cognitive paradigms; single voxel spectroscopy (SVS) and mutli-voxel spectroscopy to examine concentration of different metabolites in vivo; diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine white matter tract integrity; and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine changes in gray and white matter density.

3.0 Tesla Siemens (Erlangen, Germany) Tim Trio whole-body MRI system with EPI (echo planar imaging) capability
40mT/m maximum strength gradient system with a slew-rate of 200T/m/sec
RF-system with 14 parallel receiver channels each with a 1MHz bandwidth
Console room with a two stimulus presentation systems

EEG Laboratory

The EEG Laboratory is a fully equipped electrophysiology laboratory, which will allow experiments combining the superb temporal resolving capabilities EEG approaches with the sensitivity and spatial resolving properties of functional MRI. The integration of electrophysiology and other imaging modalities will allow investigation of research questions probing modulations in the spatiotemporal character of brain activity.

Electrical Geodesics high-density EEG system. The EGI GES 250 digitizes 256 channels of data up to 1000 samples/sec, with a 0.1 to 300 Hz bandwidth, and a vertex recording reference
Advanced software for electrode impedance control and eye movement artifact rejection
Averaged event-related potentials (ERPs) can be examined with both topographic waveform plots and surface electrical field animations (maps every 4 ms sample) for each experimental condition.

Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is similar to fMRI and can be used to examine cortical activity based on hemodynamic changes especially in those subjects for whom MRI is not an option.

Continuous-wave Near Infrared Spectroscopy system with 32 lasers and 32 detectors, which can generate light at different frequencies allowing for the detection of changes in both oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin
Customizable system incudes mesh caps of various sizes with sockets into which the optical sensor or optodes can be plugged

Leadership

The CFMI is directed by Dr. John VanMeter an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. VanMeter is available to consult with DC CFAR investigators on relevant grant applications.