Verio 3 tesla scanner

MRI data acquisition was performed using a SIEMENS verio 3-Tesla scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). The subjects were instructed to remain still, keep their eyes closed and think of nothing in particular. fMRI was acquired axially using echo-planar imaging (EPI) [repetition time (TR)/echo time (TE)/flip angle (FA)/field of view (FOV) = 2000 ms/40 ms/90°/24 cm, image matrix = 64×64, slice number = 33, thickness = 3 mm, gap = 1 mm and bandwidth = 2232 Hz/pixel]. In addition, 3D T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) sagittal images were obtained (TR/TE/inversion time (TI)/FA = 1900 ms/2.2 ms/900 ms/9°, image matrix = 256×256, slice number = 176 and thickness = 1 mm).
Our study used a single block experimental design. We first acquired baseline resting state data during the initial 3 minutes; we then performed acupuncture stimulation for the following 3 minutes. A silver needle that was 0.30 mm in diameter and 25 mm long was inserted and twirled at four acupoints of the human body, which were Tai chong on the dorsum of the left and right feet and He gu on the dorsum of the left and right hands. We acquired fMRI for another 10 minutes after the needle was withdrawn. The location of Tai chong and He gu see the Figure 1.

Each of the subjects underwent an MRI scan in a SIEMENS verio 3-Tesla scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) and was instructed to remain still, keep their eyes closed and to think of nothing. The main MRI sequence and parameters were as follows: the functional MRI was acquired axially using echo planar imaging (EPI), repetition time (TR)/echo time (TE)/flip angle (FA) = 2000 ms/40 ms/90°, field of view (FOV) = 24 cm, image matrix = 64×64, slice number = 33, thickness = 3 mm, gap = 1 mm, and bandwidth = 2232 Hz/pixel.
In the current study, we used a single-block experimental design, which is shown in Fig 1. During the initial 3 minutes, we acquired baseline resting-state data; then, we performed 3 minutes of acupuncture stimulation at four acupoints of the human body (Tai chong on the dorsum of the left and right feet and He gu on the dorsum of the left and right hands) using a silver needle that was 0.30 mm in diameter and 25 mm long. When the acupuncture stimulation finished, another 10 minutes of resting-state fMRI scans were acquired.

As a prerequisite for neuronavigated cTBS, all subjects first underwent structural MR imaging (Siemens Verio 3-Tesla scanner; Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). This included a high-resolution T1 weighted anatomical scan for each subject (MPRAGE; 170 slices, voxel size = 1 × 1 × 1.5 mm, matrix = 240 × 240 pixel, TR = 1.3 s, TE = 3.46 ms). Functional imaging was performed using a gradient EPI sequence (repetition time [TR]/echo time [TE] = 2520/30 msec, flip angle = 90°, matrix = 64 × 64 pixel, voxel size = 3 × 3 x 3 mm; field of view = 192 mm) with BOLD contrast for the acquisition of T2*-weighted images. A total of 370 volumes consisting of 38 slices was acquired continuously during each run in descending order.
Finally, we acquired axial whole brain diffusion weighted images with a double spin echo sequence for probabilistic fiber tracking (60 directions; b-value = 1000 s/mm²; 88 slices; voxel size, 1.7 × 1.7 × 1.7 mm, no gap; TR = 12.9 s; TE = 100 ms; field of view = 220 × 220 mm²) plus seven volumes with no diffusion weighting (b-value = 0 s/mm²) at the beginning of the sequence and interleaved after each block of 10 diffusion weighted images.