MRI Lab general

MRI lab heads: Dr Nadège Bault & Matt Roser Dr Matt Roser

You can reach them both using this email address

Lead radiographer: Ben Walton

MR physicists: Jamie Roberts and Malek Benattayallah

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Lab resources

Information about our MRI scanner the Siemens Magneton Prisma 3T can be found here

We have the following kits available in the Lab

  • stimulus presentation computer, screen, responses buttons and a joystick for task based fMRI research (see MRI Peripherals and Experimental Software for details)

  • MR compatible biopac with EDA and ECG electrodes

  • MR compatible glasses with a range of prescription lenses

We have a number of ready-to-go MR a sequences for

  • BOLD research,

  • DTI and

  • Spectroscopy

Planning a new study - step by step

  1. Fill a Proof of concept form or a funded study form

  2. Get ethics approval

Once your Proof of Concept / pump priming application is approved:

  1. Contact the Lead radiographer to get safety trained (level1) or the MRI lab heads if you need advanced training. You will only get free access to the lab after you have logged about 10 hours in the lab and demonstrated that you understand and comply to the safety rules.

  2. Ask the MRI lab heads to give you access to the MRI booking system

  3. Make an appointment with the MRI lab heads and/or MR physicists to set your protocole up, on the scanner console

Once your ethics is approved:

  1. Book the scanner to run a phantom scan and one or two pilots. Once your data is sent to the cloud, this will automatically create a folder with your study ID

  2. Ask the System Administrator to create a storage for your study.

  3. Check your pilot data. Ideally test your analysis pipeline as well

  4. You are ready to start your data acquisition.

Safety and ethics

See these documents for details of BRIC MR Safety and Operating rules and policies.

BRIC MRI Local Rules

BRIC Safety and Risk Operational Policy

Safety training

The levels of safety training and access to the scanner are summarised in the MR lab access levels document

Before being able to access the MRI lab, you will need to complete a safety training. Safety training sessions may be ran monthly or bi-monthly, depending on the needs, in small groups. The training will be renewed annually. For level1, this annual refresher will be online.

Safety questionnaires must be filled by staff and research participants before they can enter the restricted MRI environment.

safety questionnaire - adult research participants

safety questionnaire - staff (permit to work)

Ethics

You can find template information and consent forms in section MRI Lab how to Get ethics approval, as well as a general information sheet for participants comming for a scan.