Tim trio 3 tesla scanner

Whole-brain imaging was performed on a Siemens TIM TRIO 3 Tesla scanner (Erlangen, Germany) at the Center for Clinical Imaging Research at Washington University in St. Louis. For anatomical reference, high resolution, 3D MP-RAGE anatomic images were collected [TE = 3.16 ms; TR = 2400 ms, 8 flip angle, slice thickness = 1.0 mm, FOV = 25.6 cm, matrix size = 256²] prior to the collection of the BOLD echoplanar data.
To provide whole-brain coverage, BOLD echoplanar images [TE = 27 ms; TR = 2000 ms; 77 flip angle; slice thickness = 4.0 mm; FOV = 25.6 cm; matrix size = 64^2;] were acquired with 35 slices. For each of the six two-minute and 36 second imaging runs, this procedure yielded 78 whole-brain volumes with a spatial resolution of 4 mm³ per voxel.
Image processing and analyses were performed using Analysis of Functional NeuroImages (AFNI) software (Cox, 1996 (link)). Prior to individual analyses, images were spatially registered in 3D space to the third image in the time series using an iterative linear least squares algorithm that achieved least-squares alignment of three translational and three rotational parameters, and activation outside of the brain was removed through edge detection algorithms.

MR data were acquired with a Siemens TIM/Trio 3 Tesla scanner (Berlin/Munich, Germany). Functional data were obtained using a 32-channel radiofrequency head coil and a 1-shot T₂*-weighted echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence sensitive to blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast (TR = 2000msec, TE = 25msec, 224mm field of view with a 72×72 matrix size, in-plane resolution 3.1mm × 3.1mm). Each functional volume contained 34-contiguous 3.3mm-thick axial slices separated by a 0.5mm interslice gap acquired in an interleaved fashion. High-resolution whole-brain MP Flash T₁-weighted scans were acquired for anatomical localization.
Presentation software (Neurobehavioral Systems, Albany, CA) was used for auditory and visual stimulus delivery. Auditory stimuli were delivered via MRI-compatible form-fitting foam insert earphones (Sensimetrics, MA). Visual stimuli were presented via a liquid crystal display projector (Avotec, FL), which displayed images on a screen located in the center of the scanner bore. Subjects viewed the screen by looking at a mirror mounted on the radiofrequency coil. Overt responses in the fMRI scanner were recorded with a dual-channel, noise cancelling fiber optical microphone system and noise reduction software (Optoacoustics Ltd., Or-Yehuda, Israel).

Participants’ heads were stabilized in a Siemens Tim Trio 3 Tesla scanner. A localizing scan and auto-align scout were followed by a high resolution multi-echo T1 structural scan for anatomical visualization (176 1mm slices, TR=2200ms, TE1=1.64ms, TE2= 3.5ms, TE3= 5.36ms, TE4= 7.22ms). Six runs of whole brain, gradient-echo, echo planar images (31 3mm slices aligned along the line between the anterior and posterior commissures, 20% skip, TR=2s, TE=30ms, Flip angle=90) were acquired during memory retrieval using interleaved slice acquisition. A diffusion weighted scan was collected but will not be discussed. Response data were collected using a magnet-safe button response box.

The following scans were performed on a TIM Trio 3 Tesla scanner (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) with a standard 12-channel receive-only head coil and a bite bar to limit motion: