Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
Back Row, l-r, John Walker, Daryl Bohning, Michael Horner, Andy
Kozel, Stew Denslow, Mark George, Mikhail Lomarev.
Middle Row, l-r, Qiwen Mu, Judy Dubno, Samet Kose, Deb Axness, Vidya
Upadhyaya
Kneeling, l-r, Scott Henderson, Xingbao Li, Diana Vincent, Jeff
Lorberbaum, Ziad Nahas
Not in Picture - Hugh Myrick, Gail Pashek, Jon Elhai, Donna Roberts,
Lean Piper, Dave Ramsey
CAIR MISSION:
To serve as a campus-wide resource to facilitate and nurture top quality research that involves advanced imaging technologies.
Although this group is largely composed of those interested in the CNS, the CAIR serves to promote advanced imaging research of all organs and with a variety of researchers from different disciplines and departments.
The CAIR serves as a hub for generating and refining imaging studies, facilitating smooth access to imaging machines, and then helping with image data analysis.
A fundamental goal is to grow, attract and keep key
faculty who need advanced imaging collaborations. In addition to total
grant dollars generated and papers published, a key element of CAIR
success will be in
its ability to mentor junior researchers from a variety of disciplines.
2007 Update -
We are performing an extensive update of the
webpage. Stayed tuned. For now, here are some important links.
Click here for an overview of our
image analysis informatics system, present and future . This part
of the CAIR is called the Multidisciplinary Advanced Image Analysis
Laboratory (MAIAL, pronounced 'male' with a slight southern drawl),
organized and administrated by Dr. Diana Vincent and Duane Deweese.
Click here for CAIR user survey
Click here if you are associated with MUSC and would like to apply to use CAIR resources .
BOLD fMRI: Blood
Oxygenation Level Dependant.
BOLD fMRI utilizes Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the fact that hemoglobin gives off a different magnetic signal when it is carrying oxygen (oxyhemoglobin) compared to when it is not carrying oxygen (deoxyhemoglobin). Thus, brain areas with high demand, or more active, will have a different ratio of oxy-to deoxy-hemoglobin. By taking very fast images (on the order of an image or more per second) one can rapidly image the contrast between activity at rest and during a specific behavior, thus demonstrating function as well as structure. A major benefit of using magnetic based technologies to image as opposed to radioactive based is that there is no limit to the number of scans that can be performed.
Perfusion fMRI:
rTMS : Rapid
rate Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation:
Recently, neurologists and neurophysiologists have perfected a way to non-invasively stimulate the brain by applying magnetic stimulation to the scalp. This technique, known as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), can map brain functions as well as possibly treat neuropsychiatric diseases such as Parkinson's disease and depression.
Some recent MRI studies combined with TMS.
SPECT :
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography.
SPECT involves peripheral injection of a radiotracer which settles into the neurons and glia within 2-5 minutes and distributes relative to blood flow. Specific tracers can target a receptor type of interest in the brain and show the receptors location and distribution. The gamma rays these radiotracers emit as they decay are detected by rotating cameras and reconstructed into a three dimensional image. Some commonly used tracers include HMPAO and those tagged to specific ligands which bind receptors like dopamine (D1, D2).
PET: Positron Emisson
Tomography
PET involves the peripheral injection of radiotracers which, when they degrade, emit positrons. These are highly unstable particles which travel a short distance and then collide with an electron. This reaction releases two photons traveling in exactly opposite directions (180 degrees apart). These photons are then detected by rotating cameras outside the head and computer reconstructed. In PET, as opposed to SPECT, the cameras are instructed to only include for final analysis those particles that are recorded simultaneously in a camera and in its 180 degree counterpart, thus enabling a more precise reconstruction of exactly where the photon originated. This, in general, gives PET a higher image resolution than SPECT. The majority of PET imaging in normal and pathological mood has been done using labeled glucose (18-FDG) or oxygen (O15) in the water form. These compounds have to be produced in a nearby cyclotron, which adds greatly to the cost as well as limiting the availability of these types of scans. PET O15 image aquisition takes approximately 1-5 minutes, with FDG requiring on the order of a half-hour.