12 channel phased array head coil

After obtaining informed consent, subjects were instructed about the MSIT task and were fitted into an MRI-compatible EEG cap. The subjects were placed in the Siemens Verio 3.0 T MRI scanner (Siemens, Erlangen Germany) with the Siemens 12-channel phased array head coil; foam stabilizers were placed around the head of each subject in order to minimize head movement. With the EEG cap on, each participant completed a 30 minute fMRI session. The session began with a localizer scan (13 seconds) for BOLD and anatomical acquisition placement. After this the two task repetitions were acquired with BOLD fMRI (blood oxygen level dependent functional MRI, TR = 3000 ms, TE = 30 ms, matrix size  = 64×64, voxel size was 3.2×3.2×3.2 mm, 30 abutting slices, single-shot EPIs, flip  = 90°) and EEG while the subject performed the MSIT (6 minutes and 42 seconds for each MSIT). Between the first and second MSIT scans, high-resolution T1 anatomical images were acquired with a 3D FLASH (fast low angle shot, TR = 19 ms, TE = 4.92 ms, matrix  = 256×256, 160 images) sequence for co-registration of the functional images.

MR imaging was performed on a Siemens Avanto 1.5 T MRI scanner, using a 12 channel phased array head coil. The MR imaging protocol consisted of a whole brain T1-weighted structural MRI scan and a DTI acquisition. The T1-weighted volume images were acquired using a magnetisation-prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) sequence with the following parameters: TR/TE/TI = 2400/3.42/1000 ms, flip angle = 80, voxel size = 1.2 mm × 1.2 mm × 1.2 mm, 160 slices (acquired in a sagittal plane), acquisition time = 7 min 42 s.
The DTI (single shot echo planar imaging) sequence parameters were as follows: TR/TE = 8900/109 ms, 63 non-collinear diffusion directions (including 3 interleaved b = 0 acquisitions), voxel size = 2.3 mm × 2.3 mm × 2.3 mm, b-value = 1000 s/mm², parallel imaging factor = 2, 60 slices (acquired in an oblique axial plane avoiding the orbits where possible), acquisition time = 10 min 7 s. The T1-weighted volume images were clinically reported for any structural abnormalities by an experienced pediatric neuroradiologist.

MRI data were collected on matched 3T Trio MR scanners (Siemens, Erlangen, German) using the 12-channel phased-array head coil at baseline and repeated at the end of intervention (within 24 h). Foam padding was used to minimize head motion for all subjects. Structural MRI data were obtained using a sagittal magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) three-dimensional T1-weighted sequence with the following imaging parameters: repetition time (TR) = 6.1 ms, echo time (TE) = 2.0 ms, slice thickness = 1 mm, flip-angle = 9°, field of view (FOV) = 256 × 256 mm², acquisition matrix = 256 × 256, slices = 176. An echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence was applied to acquire the rs-fMRI data, the parameters were as follows: TR = 2,000 ms, TE = 30 ms, slice number = 30, slice thickness = 4 mm, flip-angle = 90°, matrix = 64 × 64, and FOV = 240 × 240 mm², in-plane resolution = 3.75 mm × 3.75 mm. For each subject, a total of 250 volumes were acquired, resulting in a total scan time of 500 s. Subjects were instructed to keep their eyes closed, relax, not to think of anything in specific and not to fall asleep.

All Patients underwent MRI on a 3 T Tim Trio whole body MR scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) equipped with a 12-channel phased array head coil. The anatomical imaging protocol included axial 3D-T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition of gradient echo (MPRAGE) imaging and an axial T2-FLAIR imaging using standard parameters. The postcontrast T1-weighted images were acquired with the same parameters as the precontrast acquisition after administration of standard dose (0.14 mmol/Kg) of gadobenate dimeglumine (MultiHance, Bracco Imaging, Milano, Italy) intravenous contrast agent using a power injector (Medrad, Idianola, PA).

All the MRI data were acquired on a 3 T Siemens Trio MR scanner with a 12-channel phased-array head coil at the Brain Imaging Center of SCNU. For each subject, the resting-state fMRI (R-fMRI) data were collected by using an echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence with the following parameters: repetition time (TR) = 2,000 ms, echo time (TE) = 30 ms, flip angle = 90°, field of view (FOV) = 224 mm × 224 mm, in-plane matrix size = 64 × 64, slice thickness = 3.5 mm, voxel size = 3.5 mm × 3.5 mm × 3.5 mm, and 32 axial slices. During the R-fMRI scan, the participants were asked to open their eyes to fix a black cross on the screen and lay in the scanner in a supine position. About 180 functional volumes were obtained in a 6 min scan. The T-fMRI data were collected by using the same sequence with the R-fMRI scan. During the T-fMRI scan, the participants were asked to perform a visual creative synthesis task and a control task. Each run included 18 trials and lasted for 770 s (385 TRs; Figure 1IA). Individual high-resolution brain structural images were acquired by using a three dimensional (3D) T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MP-RAGE) sequence.