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= CBU comprehensive guide = = Comprehensive CBU Guide To Scanning At The CBU SCANNER =
The following guide is meant to cover all practical steps required to carry out an imaging study at the CBU Scanner. However, it does not cover information regarding [wiki:DesignEfficiency neuroimaging design], [wiki:ProgrammingTasks programming of experiments], [wiki:AnalysisDefaults preprocesing] or [wiki:AnalysisDefaults analysis of results]. For details of these aspects of scanning, please visit the links above, or ask help from the relevant person directly, via the [wiki:WhoToContact points of contact] page.
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We are preparing this at the moment. === Contents: ===
 A) Preparations for your study:: 1. Access to CBU Scanner 2. Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) approval 3. Debate and approval by Cambridge research community. 4. Logging your project 5. Booking in slots 6. Computer issues relating to imaging 7. Recruiting participants
 B) Carrying out your study:: 8. List of what to bring with you on the day 9. Checklist for time at the CBU Scanner
 C) After scanning:: 10. Retrieving the data 11. Scanning Feedback
----
[[Anchor(a)]]
== A) Preparations for your study ==
[[Anchor(1)]] '''1. Access to CBU Scanner (well in advance of your study)'''

In order to have access to the Control room and to be able to scan volunteers at the CBU you need to become a Certified User. This is a two stage process and involves booking yourself on 1) an MRI Video Presentation course and, 2) an MRI Practical session (please note that the courses must be attended in sequence). For further information on these courses, contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby]. These courses will take place periodically throughout the year, and exact dates will be announced in advance on the imagers mailing list.

Certified Users based at the CBU will have their access card updated to incorporate access to both external and internal doors of the Scanner Facility 9am to 5pm. Imagers based at other sites who attain CBU certification will be logged as Certified Guests and will be eligible for a daily access card to the above areas on each visit. Access privileges are updated by [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby] and any users needing to query their user status or request a temporary card should contact Lucille. Before scanning, imagers should familiarise themselves with the CBU Standard Operating Procedures. This is not available online so please contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby] to obtain a copy.

[[Anchor(2)]]
=== 2. Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) approval (absolute minimum 2 months before scanning). ===
In order to be allocated slots on the CBU scanner, you need official ethics approval either from the [http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/resethics/lrec1.html Cambridge Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC)] or another [http://www.corec.org.uk/ LREC within the region]. Applications to Cambridge are likely to be processed more smoothly than applications elsewhere as the Cambridge Committee are aware of, and have formerly approved, our Standard Operating Procedures. However, the Cambridge LREC can only review a relatively small number of applications per month and they are usually over subscribed several months in advance. Therefore, we recommend that you contact the [http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/resethics/lrec1.html Cambridge LREC] in order to book a slot on their agenda as early as you possibly can. If they do not have a slot within a reasonable time frame they can advise you which Committee does have slots available and provide you with contact details.

It is possible that someone in your research group has already acquired LREC permission for your study and to run your experiment you only need to become an additional named investigator on that application. This would normally take two weeks (via an on line substantial amendment by the principal investigator on the original LREC application) to set up. Otherwise, you need to submit a full application, which is a substantial document available online at the [http://www.corec.org.uk/ Central Office for Research Ethics Committees (COREC)]. For more details about what is involved, contact someone who has recently submitted a protocol in your group, or contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby].

[[Anchor(3)]]
=== 3. Debate and approval by Cambridge research community. ===
'''3.1 CBU Research group meeting (at least three months before scanning).''' Present your proposal at your own research group meeting for debate about the scientific merits of the study and design. See the organiser of your research group to arrange this.

'''3.2 Cambridge Imagers Interest Group/Methods Meeting (at least three months before scanning).''' Following any revisions following 3.1 above, present your proposal for scientific and methodological debate at the Imagers Interest Group meeting (IIG), which meets on Monday afternoons at 12:30, normally in the CBU lecture theatre. Contact Rik Henson ( rik.henson@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk ) for details and request for a slot to give your presentation. To see further information about the imagers meeting, and the current scheule, please visit [wiki:IigSchedule here].

'''3.3 Fill in [http://imaging.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/internal/text/Request_For_Scanning_Slots_Revised.doc request for scan slots form] after Imagers Interest Group/Methods Meeting meeting, and submit to Imagers Management Committee, via [mailto:marion.ormandy@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Marion Ormandy].''' This should contain a detailed summary of the research background, proposed experiment, its hypotheses, and any problems or issues raised in the imagers interest group/methods meeting. It is expected that most studies will involve up to 16 participants. If more are required for any particular study an explanation should be clearly given on the form. You will need explicit approval from the Imagers Management Committee (IMC) before being allowed to scan at the CBU. The IMC usually meets twice a month (on Wednesday afternoons) and you need to submit your request for review by at least the Monday lunchtime prior to the meeting to enable to committee to review the details. If you feel there has been a long delay after submission before hearing about the result of your feedback form, then contact the Chair of the Committee, [mailto:adrian.owen@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Adrian Owen] , for more details.

[[Anchor(4)]]
=== 4. Logging your Project (after receiving LREC approval and as early as you can before scanning). ===
On receipt of LREC approval you need to arrange a project discussion with [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby]. You need to take with you a copy of your full LREC application and approval letter as well as the Request for Slots form you sent to the IMC. Lucille will log your project and start a file for your Ethics Protocol. At the meeting you will need to confirm the selection criteria for your volunteers so that volunteers can be booked for you.

If you are using an existing protocol and the principle investigator has applied to have your name added for via a Substantial the above meeting should be arranged only once the amendment has been approved.

If you are using an existing protocol and have not needed to apply for a Substantial Amendment (i.e. because you are already listed as an investigator on the protocol), then please book you project discussion with Lucille Murby as soon as the IMC have approved your study. Lucille will be able to refer to the existing protocol (assuming that it has already been logged with her by another investigator on that protocol) and list your slots on the paperwork already set up for that protocol.

[[Anchor(5)]]
=== 5. Booking in slots (normally one month or more before scanning). ===
Once you have attained user certification [#1 (point 1)], received LREC approval [#2 (point 2)], had your project reviewed by the IMC [#3 (point 3.3)], and logged your project [#4 (point 4)] then you are ready to book slots on the scanner. The CBU scanning schedule is available online and you need to contact Lucille Murby to discuss the allocation of available slots.

[[Anchor(6)]]
=== 6. Computer issues relating to imaging. ===
'''6.1 Subscribing to mailing lists (as early as possible).''' In order to get information about talks, current computer and scanner problems, changes in CBU Scanner setup, etc. you need to subscribe to the following mailing lists: imagerscbu (CBU only imaging related information), [wiki:MeetingsListsContacts imagerstech] (any technical imaging information relating to SPM, scanner issues, methods talks, etc.), and imagers (general Cambridge imaging mailing list). Contact ( [mailto:sian.miller@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Sian Miller] for more details and to subscribe.

'''6.2 Request imaging status and disk space from the IT Staff, if scanning for the first time (at least a week before scanning).''' Your account needs to be labeled as having imaging status, so that you can access and use the imaging directories. To do this, please consult the computer staff at the CBU.

'''6.3. Thoroughly test your experimental program.'''

 '''6.3.1. Testing program at CBU (at least a week before scanning).''' There is a replica of the CBU MRI console in the public computer area of the main Unit, labeled CBU Mimic. This is used exclusively to test programs for compatibility and to make sure they will not crash during an fMRI study. You should make full use of this before starting your study. The CBU Mimic can be booked on the Resource Scheduler. For details about how to simulate scanner pulses, or other issues relating to the CBU Mimic, contact the [mailto:technical@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk technical support staff] or [mailto:it-help@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk computing staff]. Note, that should you require any programs to be installed that are not already available, you should ask [mailto:gary.chandler@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Gary Chandler] to install this for you, rather than doing it yourself.

 At this point you should mention any non-standard equipment or paradigms to radiographers, in case these need to be approved for the scanner, or the paradigms require the presence of a physicist to run them (this is not necessary for standard protocols). Contact [mailto:radiographers@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk the radiographers] with these details.

 '''6.3.2 Piloting your program on the CBU Scanner (at least a few days before scanning).''' It is also highly recommended that you book some time at the CBU Scanner to install and test your program onsite. You should contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby] about booking a 15 minute pilot slot, and to request whether you need the radiographers to generate any scanner pulses. Note that it is possible to generate simulated pulses, via the panel in the computer cupboard in the corner. There are three stimulus PCs permanently available in the scanner room. You should ask the radiographers about how to switch between PCs if this is unclear. Be sure to fully test your program, including its interaction with scanner pulses and with the button box if required, as well as the correct presentation of stimuli. For more information on stimulus presentation in the CBU scanner, visit [wiki:CbuStimulusDelivery here]. Remember to install your program and store your data on the D drive, as the C drive is wiped and refreshed every month with a new image. This is also a good time to tell the radiographers who you are, what slots you will be scanning with whom, and under what CBU Scanner protocol number. In addition, you should mention any non-standard equipment or paradigms, in case these need to be approved for the scanner, or the paradigms require the presence of a physicist to run them (this is not necessary for standard protocols).

 If any problems are unable to be resolved during the pilot session/s then the main scanning slots (if booked at this point) need to be reviewed and possibly re-allocated.

[[Anchor(7)]]
=== 7. Recruiting participants ===
'''7.1 Background: CBU Volunteers''' The CBU maintains a panel of volunteers who are willing to take part in fMRI studies and these are available to all researchers working on CBU and CBU collaborative studies. Before recruiting participants, researchers need to have had a panel induction with [mailto:panel@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Jackie Harper] and it is a good idea to arrange for the induction to take place shortly after joining the Unit or shortly after the project has been approved to proceed by the IIG.

Volunteers can be obtained in two ways: by informing Lucille Murby at the [#4 Project Discussion Meeting] that you wish to use Brainscan or by requesting a panel list to your specific criterion from Jackie Harper.

'''7.2 Booking Volunteers (via Brainscan)''' Brainscan is a system where volunteers are booked in by radiographers for projects run by members of the CBU and their collaborators, but is currently only available for volunteers with relatively 'standard' characteristics (young, right handed etc). If your project requires volunteers with more specific characteristics (e.g. left handers or volunteers never scanned by you before) then, at the present time, you will need to contact Jackie Harper for a list of appropriate Panel members and book them yourself (see [#7.3 Section 7.3] ).

The radiographers undertake to ensure that all volunteers suggested via the Brainscan system are fully health cleared and deemed suitable by them for the researcher's project. The researcher will receive details of the volunteers booked into their scan slots and will need to make contact with them and make sure that:

 a. The volunteer is actually suitable for their project
 a. The volunteer will turn up on the day
The responsibility for ensuring that the volunteer is suitable for the study still rests with the researcher and it is up to the researcher to confirm the appointment, relay the specifics of the project and to remind the volunteer of the appointment the day before.

Once you have requested to use the Brainscan volunteer booking system and have discussed the technical details of your project with Helen Lloyd, the radiographers will start to find potential volunteers for your scanning slots. They will ensure that those suggested are health cleared and they will try to ensure that the people they find are suitable for your study. The onus is on you, however, to ensure that the person is actually appropriate for your research.

You will be copied into a confirmation email sent to the volunteer from Brainscan and this will give you their details as well as which slot they are booked for (please note that volunteers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scan start time to allow adequate time for the paperwork to be filled in, the task instructions to be explained and some overall contingency time for unplanned delays). At this point you will now need to make contact with your volunteer, ensure that they are suitable for your study and try to establish a rapport so that they will turn up on the day you are scanning. This is best done by phone but you will not need to use the Structured Phone Questionnaire (relevant for section 7.3) because the radiographers undertake to ensure that volunteers booked by Brainscan are fully health cleared.

Once all participants are booked, a Project Summary will be sent from the radiographers in the form of a spreadsheet which lists your slots and contains all the details you need in one place. Forward this email to anyone else working on your study and to the buddy that you will have working with you on your scan days.

Please now go to [#7.4 section 7.4: Once Volunteers are Booked].

[[Anchor(7.3)]] '''7.3 Booking Volunteers (via Jackie Harper)'''

 '''7.3.1 Obtaining potential participant lists.''' If you are not using Brainscan you'll need to obtain your volunteers via Jackie Harper. Email [mailto:panel@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Jackie Harper] with your requirements (age; handedness; whether scanned before or not etc.) and you'll receive a list via your pigeon hole. Please request your volunteers early. Jackie organises the volunteers for both scanning and behavioural studies and cannot guarantee you a list at short notice.

 '''7.3.2 Telephone screening and booking.''' Volunteers must be booked by telephone so prior to booking any volunteers, please make sure you are familiar with the [http://imaging.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/internal/text/Screening_imaging_volunteers_newCBU.doc Structured Phone Questionnaire] as well as the CBU payment rates and the specific scanning slots that you have available. On receipt of the list from Jackie, start contacting volunteers using the Structured Phone Questionnaire. Make sure the volunteer is fully aware who you are, what the study involves and has the opportunity to ask questions, in case they feel they would not like to take part. Please ensure that your contact with volunteers is always in line with the CBU data protection guidelines. Do not take volunteer lists home and always ensure that correspondence with volunteers is confidential and stored on your PGP drive.

 It is very important that researchers understand the relevance of all questions in the Structured Phone Questionnaire so we advise you to read through the notes throughout the document. The volunteer will be screened for metal on arrival but it is critical that you try to eliminate all unsuitable volunteers at the outset otherwise your scanning slot could be lost and you'll have to apply to the IMC for a replacement which may incur a delay in your research. Note any contraindications and send any relevant feedback to Jackie Harper. Researchers should also check with each volunteer that is booked that they are not already booked in for another fMRI study within the same fortnightly period. The CBU guidelines are that no volunteer can be scanned more than once every 14 days. Please remember that volunteers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scan start time to allow adequate time for the paperwork to be filled in, the task instructions to be explained and some overall contingency time for unplanned delays (you may want to extend this if you have specific extended tasks for them to complete prior to the scac; ask colleagues or Helen Lloyd if you are unsure of how much time to allow). If this is a first scan with us, the volunteer should be asked to bring their GP's details to the appointment so this can be incorporated into their records.

 '''7.3.3 Confirmation email.''' Send a Confirmation Email to each volunteer booked (please obtain the template from Lucille Murby) which contains the link to the website so that the volunteer has a chance to read more about what we do and obtain our site map. Please blind copy this email to radiographers (please do not standard copy as we do not want these volunteers to contact the radiographers direct). Please also send the radiographers a summary of your booked slots at least three working days prior to scanning (containing the full volunteer name, contact numbers on the day and an email address if applicable). Please also forward this summary to anyone working with you on the project and to the buddy that you will have working with you on your scan days. Radiographers will inform CBU Reception about the bookings.

Please now go to section 7.4: Once Volunteers are Booked.

[[Anchor(7.4)]] '''7.4 Once Volunteers are Booked'''

 '''7.4.1 Rapport/Volunteer Information:''' Once your volunteers are booked (by either method) and you are happy that they are suitable for your project, you will need to establish a rapport with them. This will help to stress the value of their assistance in our investigations and help to ensure that they turn up for their appointment. You will also need to send them a copy of the Volunteer Information Sheet (as submitted to LREC for ethical approval of your study). This should be done as soon as possible after booking them so that they have ample time to read the information. Please remember that your ethical protocol may stipulate how long volunteers are given to read the document so ensure that you allow the time documented. If you have booked the volunteers yourself (see [#7.3 Section 7.3] ) then you may want to attach this document to your confirmation email; otherwise we suggest that you could send it once to all of your volunteers (put your address in the To section so you can check it arrives and put all the volunteer email addresses in the Bcc box so that the list of names is not visible to the recipients - in line with our data protection guidelines). Radiographers will inform CBU Reception about the appointment so there is no need for the researcher to do this.

 '''7.4.2 Template emails/letters:''' Always use the template emails and letters (available from Lucille Murby) so that all correspondence from the CBU is consistent.

 '''7.4.3 Problems with Volunteers:''' If you have any problems with a volunteer please do not discuss the issue with colleagues, only share this information with Jackie Harper or Lucille Murby. Similarly, researchers should feed back to the Panel any details about contraindications and requests from volunteers who wish to be removed from the list.

 '''7.4.4 Volunteer Reminders (1-2 days before scanning):''' in order to ensure as far as possible that the volunteer will turn up for their appointment, please remind them a day or two before they are due to be scanned, and inform them that they should contact you if they have any problems in keeping their appointment as our scan time is very valuable and we may be able to find someone else to fill their slot. This is to minimise the (not infrequent) situation where participants do not turn up for slots without informing you, which inconveniences the whole team and may mean that the completion of your study is significantly delayed (if replacement slots can not be found quickly).

 '''7.4.5 Exchange Contact numbers:''' Make certain that the volunteer knows how to contact the CBU Imaging Facility should they need to on the day and attempt to secure a mobile phone number for the volunteer that you can contact them when they are on the move in case you need to cancel at the last minute or they unexpectedly do not turn up.

 '''7.4.6 Confirm Arrival Procedures:''' The volunteer will need to be informed of the specific arrival procedures - all volunteers need to sign in at Unit Reception (if their arrival time is out of office hours then you must ensure that you or your buddy is there to meet them). During working hours volunteers can be directed through the South Wing corridor to the Imaging Facility. Out of hours, they will need to be escorted around the outside of the South Wing. (Please remember that all doors in the Main Unit are alarmed out of hours and can only be opened from the inside as a fire escape route).

 '''7.4.5 Recruit backup volunteers:''' It is the responsibility of the researcher to have a back-up volunteer available for each scanning slot. In the first instance this should not be someone from within the Unit though if a back-up fails, colleagues will most probably be willing to help out. A back-up can be on stand-by for a morning or an afternoon (or both if they are not used in the morning) and the agreed rate is £10 for each session or the normal scanning rate if they are used. The radiographers are not responsible for supplying back-ups but they do hold a list of volunteers who have shown an interest in being a back-up so it is a good idea to use this resource in the first instance. If there is no-one available from this list then researchers will need to use their own contacts or request a volunteer list from Jackie Harper. Please do not send CBU-all/CBU-Misc emails requesting for back-ups.

 It is not unusual for volunteers to cancel at the last minute or just not arrive for their slot so it is in your interests to make sure you have back-ups organised. This will ensure that there are no unnecessary interruptions in your scanning.

 '''7.4.6 Request participant money:''' You will need to request money to pay your volunteers by 12 noon on the Wednesday before the week you scan. Contact subject-money@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk with details of how much you will require, making sure you won't be left short of money. Collect the money on the Monday - you will be given an appointment time.

 '''7.4.7 Obtain an MRI Volunteer Receipt:''' You will need one of these yellow forms for each volunteer (available from the Filing drawers in the South Wing Elbow and also available in the MRI Control Room). Each form is to be used for one scan only. Please fill out the internal section (completing the session number once the scan has started and leaving the WBSE number for Finance to fill in). The volunteer will need to sign this document on completion of the scan and in order to obtain payment.

[[Anchor(b)]]
== B) Carrying out your study ==
[[Anchor(8)]]
=== 8. List of what to bring with you on the day: ===
 * Contact information for participants and backup participants.
 * Details of your CBU Ethics protocol number.
 * Any extra equipment required (for instance, DAT recorder, non-standard button box).
 * A copy of your experimental program on USB Key, CD or floppy disk.
 * Disk to retrieve behavioural data from (floppy, or USB Key or Zip if larger).
 * CBU yellow participant receipt forms (for booked participants and a few blank spares).
 * Participant Money.
 * Notebook to log experiment.
 * This guide.
[[Anchor(9)]]
=== 9. Checklist for time at the CBU Scanner. ===
If scanning for the first time, arrive approximately 45 minutes before the slot begins, to wait for the participant and setup and double check your experiment. If you are inexperienced, it is advisable to bring a 'buddy' with you to help out on the day, particularly if you are scanning more than one person, or have not scanned before. For each scanning slot, the following times should be allowed in any calculation of time needed per participant: i) Paperwork (10 minutes if participant has been scanned before, 20 minutes otherwise); ii) placing participant in scanner and calibration (5 mins); iii) structural and fieldmap scans (7 mins); iv) participant leaving scanner and payment (5 mins). In addition to this, there will be the EPI time for the actual experiment, the length of which you should know in advance, from the details of your experiment.

'''9.1 Check experimental program is running (20 mins before slot begins):'''

 '''9.1.1. Reboot PC.''' This is HIGHLY recommended to prevent non-specific problems and crashes.

 '''9.1.2. Boot up and test program.''' Make sure the program is running as it should.

 '''9.1.3. Test extraneous equipment.''' Test that visual presentation is appropriately appearing on the screen in the scanner room. Make sure the button box responses will be recorded by your program. There is a program called "Scanner Input Test," which gives a visual display of the button presses and scanner pulses (pulses can be simulated by a button on the wall). This is an excellent way of verifying correct input. If audio stimuli are used, first verify that the Windows settings are appropriately set: i) double click on the yellow loudspeaker, in system tray at the bottom right of the screen; ii) check to ensure that the master and wave/line levels are set to maximum; iii) ensure that the balance is set centrally. Make sure that the headphones are working properly. If there are two experimenters present, one should listen on the headphones while the other plays tones into each ear. Make sure that the tones are clearly audible and that the input is balanced between ears. If only one experimenter is present, test this procedure on the participant before scanning starts. If there are any problems, contact Gary Chandler (ext. 413) or Rhodri Cusack (ext. 850).

'''9.2 On participant arrival (30 mins before slot begins):'''

 '''9.2.1. Paperwork.''' Each participant is given a unique scan number for each session that they take part in. Each session file needs to contain a signed Consent Form and a signed Volunteer Screening form. The researcher should make sure that the volunteer has read the Volunteer Information Sheet prior to the scan and retain this for their records. The Consent Form and Volunteer Information sheet need to be the same forms that were submitted to and approved by the LREC. The radiographer will already have your CBU Ethics protocol number and a label with this number will be attached to the back of the Screening form by the radiographer.

 '''9.2.2. Entering the scanning suite.''' The researcher should ask the volunteer to complete all of the forms described above. Please then introduce the volunteer to the radiographer who is on duty. Once the volunteer has been screened and cleared for scanning by the radiographer they will be asked to place all their items into one of the lockers beside the staff kitchen. Bulky items not fitting into the lockers (such as sports bags) may be taken into the Control Room by the researcher at the radiographer's discretion. The volunteer will be checked for metal by the radiographer who will escort them into the Controlled Zone/Magnet Room.

 '''9.2.3. Give participant practice.''' . If the task requires a practice session, then this should be done in the Scanner Office next to the Control room (the Control room is out of bounds to participants). The office has a PC identical to the stimulus PCs, along with a button box, except that (at the present time) no scanner pulses can be simulated.

 '''9.2.4. Radiographer place participant in scanner.''' The radiographer will make sure the participant is placed in the scanner, with the headphones, earplugs (if your experiment is audio-critical, it is not essential that the earplugs are used), microphone and button-box (if required), and will make sure the participant can see the screen clearly before continuing. The pulse oximeter is attached to an available finger and the call button is placed on either a free hand or the chest. It is emphasized at this point that if the volunteer becomes uncomfortable they are able to press the call button at any time during the study to attract the radiographer's attention. On re-entering the Control Room, the radiographer will ask the volunteer to press the call button to make sure it works. It is vital for the researcher to double-check (via the intercom) that the participant has the button box appropriately placed, knows which button means which response and can see the screen fully and clearly before starting.

'''9.3. During scanning:'''

 '''9.3.1. Give radiographer details of the study.''' . Based on the details of your experiment, you should already know what fMRI protocol you are running (for instance, the 'standard' CBU TR 2 secs), if there are any special characteristics of the fMRI protocol, how many runs you plan to give the participant (typically 2-4), and how many scans you will roughly need for each run. For instance, you may request a TR of 2 seconds, with three runs, and each run having 850 scans in it. Remember to factor in the "dummy scans" for each run, to allow the signal to stabilise sufficiently.

 '''9.3.2. Regularly tell the participant what is going on.''' In addition to the radiographer, who will usually warn the participant when loud noises will occur before calibration scans and other 'standard' events, you should inform the participant via the microphone system about experimental scans which are about to start. Also, ask them regularly if they are still comfortable, whether everything is alright, and if there are any stimulus presentation problems. If there are any problems with the scanner which may cause delays or unusual events (e.g. noises, people entering the scanning room), keep the participant regularly informed. It can be a frustrating, boring, and sometimes rather frightening experience for the participant if there are lengthy delays due to malfunctions and this can be alleviated considerably by keeping them informed.

 '''9.3.3. Remind participants before each scanning run.''' Tell the participants again, via the microphone system, that they should keep their heads as still as possible (even if the radiographer has already done this), and remind them of the details of the task they are about to carry out. Make sure again that they can see the screen fully and clearly (and can hear clearly if the experiment is auditory). Ask them if there is anything they don't understand or have forgotten, to make absolutely sure they will do the task appropriately during the scan.

 '''9.3.4. Keep careful note of experimental details.''' Not only should you write down all details of the study (e.g. condition order, etc.), but also any problems that occurred, such as the scanner crashing, etc.

'''9.4. After the participant has been scanned:'''

 '''9.4.1. Get feedback on experiment from participant.'''

 '''9.4.2. The radiographer should at this point give the participant a photo of their structural scan.'''

 '''9.4.3. Pay participant.''' Payment is £10 per hour, plus a contribution towards travel expenses (£2 from within Cambridge; £2.50 from outside Cambridge). Please note, however, that the minimum payment for scanning is £20 plus the contribution towards travel expenses (so, for one hour of scanning £20 is paid, for 2 hours it is also £20, but for 3 hours it would be £30).

 '''9.4.4. MRI scanning log.''' Please make sure you keep a note during the scanning session of how the various scans were named (EPI Run 1, Run 2, structural etc.) You will need this information in order to identify and analyse your data.

 '''9.4.5. Backup data.''' Any behavioural or scanning data generated should now be backed up either on a floppy, CD, USB or zip disk (don't expect the Imaging Facility to have any spare disks available). The computers on which these data have been acquired are deleted at regular intervals and you may lose data if you do not take it away on the day of scanning. In addition, these PCs are heavily used and can develop hardware faults, which may mean the loss of your data if it is left there.

[[Anchor(c)]]
== C) After scanning ==
[[Anchor(10)]]
=== 10. Retrieving the data. ===
At the end of each day, the radiographers transfer the day's data to the /mridata/cbu. It is kept here permanently, so there is no need to copy the data to your own directory. If you feel the need to do this, you should delete the data at some later point to avoid unnecessary duplication. If your data has not arrived at this location within a couple of days, you should email the [mailto:radiographers@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk radiographers] to get this issue resolved.

[[Anchor(11)]]
=== Scanning Feedback. ===
If there are any problems during your study and/or any queries regarding procedures it is important that this information is fed back directly to the Facility Administrator, [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby]. This is particularly important with regard to scheduling (for example, if problems have occurred which mean that you will require more slots. A Scanning Feedback is available within the Imaging Facility or from Lucille Murby for this purpose. The IMC will regularly review these forms in order to try to address any difficulties and modify our procedures as necessary.Last revision 27/7/6 Lucille Murby, Daniel Bor and Adrian Owen.

Comprehensive CBU Guide To Scanning At The CBU SCANNER

The following guide is meant to cover all practical steps required to carry out an imaging study at the CBU Scanner. However, it does not cover information regarding [wiki:DesignEfficiency neuroimaging design], [wiki:ProgrammingTasks programming of experiments], [wiki:AnalysisDefaults preprocesing] or [wiki:AnalysisDefaults analysis of results]. For details of these aspects of scanning, please visit the links above, or ask help from the relevant person directly, via the [wiki:WhoToContact points of contact] page.

Contents:

A) Preparations for your study
1. Access to CBU Scanner 2. Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) approval 3. Debate and approval by Cambridge research community. 4. Logging your project 5. Booking in slots 6. Computer issues relating to imaging 7. Recruiting participants
B) Carrying out your study
8. List of what to bring with you on the day 9. Checklist for time at the CBU Scanner
C) After scanning
10. Retrieving the data 11. Scanning Feedback


Anchor(a)

A) Preparations for your study

Anchor(1) 1. Access to CBU Scanner (well in advance of your study)

In order to have access to the Control room and to be able to scan volunteers at the CBU you need to become a Certified User. This is a two stage process and involves booking yourself on 1) an MRI Video Presentation course and, 2) an MRI Practical session (please note that the courses must be attended in sequence). For further information on these courses, contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby]. These courses will take place periodically throughout the year, and exact dates will be announced in advance on the imagers mailing list.

Certified Users based at the CBU will have their access card updated to incorporate access to both external and internal doors of the Scanner Facility 9am to 5pm. Imagers based at other sites who attain CBU certification will be logged as Certified Guests and will be eligible for a daily access card to the above areas on each visit. Access privileges are updated by [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby] and any users needing to query their user status or request a temporary card should contact Lucille. Before scanning, imagers should familiarise themselves with the CBU Standard Operating Procedures. This is not available online so please contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby] to obtain a copy.

Anchor(2)

2. Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) approval (absolute minimum 2 months before scanning).

In order to be allocated slots on the CBU scanner, you need official ethics approval either from the [http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/resethics/lrec1.html Cambridge Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC)] or another [http://www.corec.org.uk/ LREC within the region]. Applications to Cambridge are likely to be processed more smoothly than applications elsewhere as the Cambridge Committee are aware of, and have formerly approved, our Standard Operating Procedures. However, the Cambridge LREC can only review a relatively small number of applications per month and they are usually over subscribed several months in advance. Therefore, we recommend that you contact the [http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/resethics/lrec1.html Cambridge LREC] in order to book a slot on their agenda as early as you possibly can. If they do not have a slot within a reasonable time frame they can advise you which Committee does have slots available and provide you with contact details.

It is possible that someone in your research group has already acquired LREC permission for your study and to run your experiment you only need to become an additional named investigator on that application. This would normally take two weeks (via an on line substantial amendment by the principal investigator on the original LREC application) to set up. Otherwise, you need to submit a full application, which is a substantial document available online at the [http://www.corec.org.uk/ Central Office for Research Ethics Committees (COREC)]. For more details about what is involved, contact someone who has recently submitted a protocol in your group, or contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby].

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3. Debate and approval by Cambridge research community.

3.1 CBU Research group meeting (at least three months before scanning). Present your proposal at your own research group meeting for debate about the scientific merits of the study and design. See the organiser of your research group to arrange this.

3.2 Cambridge Imagers Interest Group/Methods Meeting (at least three months before scanning). Following any revisions following 3.1 above, present your proposal for scientific and methodological debate at the Imagers Interest Group meeting (IIG), which meets on Monday afternoons at 12:30, normally in the CBU lecture theatre. Contact Rik Henson ( rik.henson@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk ) for details and request for a slot to give your presentation. To see further information about the imagers meeting, and the current scheule, please visit [wiki:IigSchedule here].

3.3 Fill in [http://imaging.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/internal/text/Request_For_Scanning_Slots_Revised.doc request for scan slots form] after Imagers Interest Group/Methods Meeting meeting, and submit to Imagers Management Committee, via [mailto:marion.ormandy@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Marion Ormandy]. This should contain a detailed summary of the research background, proposed experiment, its hypotheses, and any problems or issues raised in the imagers interest group/methods meeting. It is expected that most studies will involve up to 16 participants. If more are required for any particular study an explanation should be clearly given on the form. You will need explicit approval from the Imagers Management Committee (IMC) before being allowed to scan at the CBU. The IMC usually meets twice a month (on Wednesday afternoons) and you need to submit your request for review by at least the Monday lunchtime prior to the meeting to enable to committee to review the details. If you feel there has been a long delay after submission before hearing about the result of your feedback form, then contact the Chair of the Committee, [mailto:adrian.owen@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Adrian Owen] , for more details.

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4. Logging your Project (after receiving LREC approval and as early as you can before scanning).

On receipt of LREC approval you need to arrange a project discussion with [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby]. You need to take with you a copy of your full LREC application and approval letter as well as the Request for Slots form you sent to the IMC. Lucille will log your project and start a file for your Ethics Protocol. At the meeting you will need to confirm the selection criteria for your volunteers so that volunteers can be booked for you.

If you are using an existing protocol and the principle investigator has applied to have your name added for via a Substantial the above meeting should be arranged only once the amendment has been approved.

If you are using an existing protocol and have not needed to apply for a Substantial Amendment (i.e. because you are already listed as an investigator on the protocol), then please book you project discussion with Lucille Murby as soon as the IMC have approved your study. Lucille will be able to refer to the existing protocol (assuming that it has already been logged with her by another investigator on that protocol) and list your slots on the paperwork already set up for that protocol.

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5. Booking in slots (normally one month or more before scanning).

Once you have attained user certification [#1 (point 1)], received LREC approval [#2 (point 2)], had your project reviewed by the IMC [#3 (point 3.3)], and logged your project [#4 (point 4)] then you are ready to book slots on the scanner. The CBU scanning schedule is available online and you need to contact Lucille Murby to discuss the allocation of available slots.

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6. Computer issues relating to imaging.

6.1 Subscribing to mailing lists (as early as possible). In order to get information about talks, current computer and scanner problems, changes in CBU Scanner setup, etc. you need to subscribe to the following mailing lists: imagerscbu (CBU only imaging related information), [wiki:MeetingsListsContacts imagerstech] (any technical imaging information relating to SPM, scanner issues, methods talks, etc.), and imagers (general Cambridge imaging mailing list). Contact ( [mailto:sian.miller@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Sian Miller] for more details and to subscribe.

6.2 Request imaging status and disk space from the IT Staff, if scanning for the first time (at least a week before scanning). Your account needs to be labeled as having imaging status, so that you can access and use the imaging directories. To do this, please consult the computer staff at the CBU.

6.3. Thoroughly test your experimental program.

  • 6.3.1. Testing program at CBU (at least a week before scanning). There is a replica of the CBU MRI console in the public computer area of the main Unit, labeled CBU Mimic. This is used exclusively to test programs for compatibility and to make sure they will not crash during an fMRI study. You should make full use of this before starting your study. The CBU Mimic can be booked on the Resource Scheduler. For details about how to simulate scanner pulses, or other issues relating to the CBU Mimic, contact the [mailto:technical@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk technical support staff] or [mailto:it-help@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk computing staff]. Note, that should you require any programs to be installed that are not already available, you should ask [mailto:gary.chandler@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Gary Chandler] to install this for you, rather than doing it yourself.

    At this point you should mention any non-standard equipment or paradigms to radiographers, in case these need to be approved for the scanner, or the paradigms require the presence of a physicist to run them (this is not necessary for standard protocols). Contact [mailto:radiographers@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk the radiographers] with these details.

    6.3.2 Piloting your program on the CBU Scanner (at least a few days before scanning). It is also highly recommended that you book some time at the CBU Scanner to install and test your program onsite. You should contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby] about booking a 15 minute pilot slot, and to request whether you need the radiographers to generate any scanner pulses. Note that it is possible to generate simulated pulses, via the panel in the computer cupboard in the corner. There are three stimulus PCs permanently available in the scanner room. You should ask the radiographers about how to switch between PCs if this is unclear. Be sure to fully test your program, including its interaction with scanner pulses and with the button box if required, as well as the correct presentation of stimuli. For more information on stimulus presentation in the CBU scanner, visit [wiki:CbuStimulusDelivery here]. Remember to install your program and store your data on the D drive, as the C drive is wiped and refreshed every month with a new image. This is also a good time to tell the radiographers who you are, what slots you will be scanning with whom, and under what CBU Scanner protocol number. In addition, you should mention any non-standard equipment or paradigms, in case these need to be approved for the scanner, or the paradigms require the presence of a physicist to run them (this is not necessary for standard protocols). If any problems are unable to be resolved during the pilot session/s then the main scanning slots (if booked at this point) need to be reviewed and possibly re-allocated.

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7. Recruiting participants

7.1 Background: CBU Volunteers The CBU maintains a panel of volunteers who are willing to take part in fMRI studies and these are available to all researchers working on CBU and CBU collaborative studies. Before recruiting participants, researchers need to have had a panel induction with [mailto:panel@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Jackie Harper] and it is a good idea to arrange for the induction to take place shortly after joining the Unit or shortly after the project has been approved to proceed by the IIG.

Volunteers can be obtained in two ways: by informing Lucille Murby at the [#4 Project Discussion Meeting] that you wish to use Brainscan or by requesting a panel list to your specific criterion from Jackie Harper.

7.2 Booking Volunteers (via Brainscan) Brainscan is a system where volunteers are booked in by radiographers for projects run by members of the CBU and their collaborators, but is currently only available for volunteers with relatively 'standard' characteristics (young, right handed etc). If your project requires volunteers with more specific characteristics (e.g. left handers or volunteers never scanned by you before) then, at the present time, you will need to contact Jackie Harper for a list of appropriate Panel members and book them yourself (see [#7.3 Section 7.3] ).

The radiographers undertake to ensure that all volunteers suggested via the Brainscan system are fully health cleared and deemed suitable by them for the researcher's project. The researcher will receive details of the volunteers booked into their scan slots and will need to make contact with them and make sure that:

  1. The volunteer is actually suitable for their project
  2. The volunteer will turn up on the day

The responsibility for ensuring that the volunteer is suitable for the study still rests with the researcher and it is up to the researcher to confirm the appointment, relay the specifics of the project and to remind the volunteer of the appointment the day before.

Once you have requested to use the Brainscan volunteer booking system and have discussed the technical details of your project with Helen Lloyd, the radiographers will start to find potential volunteers for your scanning slots. They will ensure that those suggested are health cleared and they will try to ensure that the people they find are suitable for your study. The onus is on you, however, to ensure that the person is actually appropriate for your research.

You will be copied into a confirmation email sent to the volunteer from Brainscan and this will give you their details as well as which slot they are booked for (please note that volunteers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scan start time to allow adequate time for the paperwork to be filled in, the task instructions to be explained and some overall contingency time for unplanned delays). At this point you will now need to make contact with your volunteer, ensure that they are suitable for your study and try to establish a rapport so that they will turn up on the day you are scanning. This is best done by phone but you will not need to use the Structured Phone Questionnaire (relevant for section 7.3) because the radiographers undertake to ensure that volunteers booked by Brainscan are fully health cleared.

Once all participants are booked, a Project Summary will be sent from the radiographers in the form of a spreadsheet which lists your slots and contains all the details you need in one place. Forward this email to anyone else working on your study and to the buddy that you will have working with you on your scan days.

Please now go to [#7.4 section 7.4: Once Volunteers are Booked].

Anchor(7.3) 7.3 Booking Volunteers (via Jackie Harper)

  • 7.3.1 Obtaining potential participant lists. If you are not using Brainscan you'll need to obtain your volunteers via Jackie Harper. Email [mailto:panel@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Jackie Harper] with your requirements (age; handedness; whether scanned before or not etc.) and you'll receive a list via your pigeon hole. Please request your volunteers early. Jackie organises the volunteers for both scanning and behavioural studies and cannot guarantee you a list at short notice.

    7.3.2 Telephone screening and booking. Volunteers must be booked by telephone so prior to booking any volunteers, please make sure you are familiar with the [http://imaging.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/internal/text/Screening_imaging_volunteers_newCBU.doc Structured Phone Questionnaire] as well as the CBU payment rates and the specific scanning slots that you have available. On receipt of the list from Jackie, start contacting volunteers using the Structured Phone Questionnaire. Make sure the volunteer is fully aware who you are, what the study involves and has the opportunity to ask questions, in case they feel they would not like to take part. Please ensure that your contact with volunteers is always in line with the CBU data protection guidelines. Do not take volunteer lists home and always ensure that correspondence with volunteers is confidential and stored on your PGP drive. It is very important that researchers understand the relevance of all questions in the Structured Phone Questionnaire so we advise you to read through the notes throughout the document. The volunteer will be screened for metal on arrival but it is critical that you try to eliminate all unsuitable volunteers at the outset otherwise your scanning slot could be lost and you'll have to apply to the IMC for a replacement which may incur a delay in your research. Note any contraindications and send any relevant feedback to Jackie Harper. Researchers should also check with each volunteer that is booked that they are not already booked in for another fMRI study within the same fortnightly period. The CBU guidelines are that no volunteer can be scanned more than once every 14 days. Please remember that volunteers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scan start time to allow adequate time for the paperwork to be filled in, the task instructions to be explained and some overall contingency time for unplanned delays (you may want to extend this if you have specific extended tasks for them to complete prior to the scac; ask colleagues or Helen Lloyd if you are unsure of how much time to allow). If this is a first scan with us, the volunteer should be asked to bring their GP's details to the appointment so this can be incorporated into their records.

    7.3.3 Confirmation email. Send a Confirmation Email to each volunteer booked (please obtain the template from Lucille Murby) which contains the link to the website so that the volunteer has a chance to read more about what we do and obtain our site map. Please blind copy this email to radiographers (please do not standard copy as we do not want these volunteers to contact the radiographers direct). Please also send the radiographers a summary of your booked slots at least three working days prior to scanning (containing the full volunteer name, contact numbers on the day and an email address if applicable). Please also forward this summary to anyone working with you on the project and to the buddy that you will have working with you on your scan days. Radiographers will inform CBU Reception about the bookings.

Please now go to section 7.4: Once Volunteers are Booked.

Anchor(7.4) 7.4 Once Volunteers are Booked

  • 7.4.1 Rapport/Volunteer Information: Once your volunteers are booked (by either method) and you are happy that they are suitable for your project, you will need to establish a rapport with them. This will help to stress the value of their assistance in our investigations and help to ensure that they turn up for their appointment. You will also need to send them a copy of the Volunteer Information Sheet (as submitted to LREC for ethical approval of your study). This should be done as soon as possible after booking them so that they have ample time to read the information. Please remember that your ethical protocol may stipulate how long volunteers are given to read the document so ensure that you allow the time documented. If you have booked the volunteers yourself (see [#7.3 Section 7.3] ) then you may want to attach this document to your confirmation email; otherwise we suggest that you could send it once to all of your volunteers (put your address in the To section so you can check it arrives and put all the volunteer email addresses in the Bcc box so that the list of names is not visible to the recipients - in line with our data protection guidelines). Radiographers will inform CBU Reception about the appointment so there is no need for the researcher to do this.

    7.4.2 Template emails/letters: Always use the template emails and letters (available from Lucille Murby) so that all correspondence from the CBU is consistent.

    7.4.3 Problems with Volunteers: If you have any problems with a volunteer please do not discuss the issue with colleagues, only share this information with Jackie Harper or Lucille Murby. Similarly, researchers should feed back to the Panel any details about contraindications and requests from volunteers who wish to be removed from the list.

    7.4.4 Volunteer Reminders (1-2 days before scanning): in order to ensure as far as possible that the volunteer will turn up for their appointment, please remind them a day or two before they are due to be scanned, and inform them that they should contact you if they have any problems in keeping their appointment as our scan time is very valuable and we may be able to find someone else to fill their slot. This is to minimise the (not infrequent) situation where participants do not turn up for slots without informing you, which inconveniences the whole team and may mean that the completion of your study is significantly delayed (if replacement slots can not be found quickly).

    7.4.5 Exchange Contact numbers: Make certain that the volunteer knows how to contact the CBU Imaging Facility should they need to on the day and attempt to secure a mobile phone number for the volunteer that you can contact them when they are on the move in case you need to cancel at the last minute or they unexpectedly do not turn up.

    7.4.6 Confirm Arrival Procedures: The volunteer will need to be informed of the specific arrival procedures - all volunteers need to sign in at Unit Reception (if their arrival time is out of office hours then you must ensure that you or your buddy is there to meet them). During working hours volunteers can be directed through the South Wing corridor to the Imaging Facility. Out of hours, they will need to be escorted around the outside of the South Wing. (Please remember that all doors in the Main Unit are alarmed out of hours and can only be opened from the inside as a fire escape route).

    7.4.5 Recruit backup volunteers: It is the responsibility of the researcher to have a back-up volunteer available for each scanning slot. In the first instance this should not be someone from within the Unit though if a back-up fails, colleagues will most probably be willing to help out. A back-up can be on stand-by for a morning or an afternoon (or both if they are not used in the morning) and the agreed rate is £10 for each session or the normal scanning rate if they are used. The radiographers are not responsible for supplying back-ups but they do hold a list of volunteers who have shown an interest in being a back-up so it is a good idea to use this resource in the first instance. If there is no-one available from this list then researchers will need to use their own contacts or request a volunteer list from Jackie Harper. Please do not send CBU-all/CBU-Misc emails requesting for back-ups. It is not unusual for volunteers to cancel at the last minute or just not arrive for their slot so it is in your interests to make sure you have back-ups organised. This will ensure that there are no unnecessary interruptions in your scanning.

    7.4.6 Request participant money: You will need to request money to pay your volunteers by 12 noon on the Wednesday before the week you scan. Contact subject-money@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk with details of how much you will require, making sure you won't be left short of money. Collect the money on the Monday - you will be given an appointment time.

    7.4.7 Obtain an MRI Volunteer Receipt: You will need one of these yellow forms for each volunteer (available from the Filing drawers in the South Wing Elbow and also available in the MRI Control Room). Each form is to be used for one scan only. Please fill out the internal section (completing the session number once the scan has started and leaving the WBSE number for Finance to fill in). The volunteer will need to sign this document on completion of the scan and in order to obtain payment.

Anchor(b)

B) Carrying out your study

Anchor(8)

8. List of what to bring with you on the day:

  • Contact information for participants and backup participants.
  • Details of your CBU Ethics protocol number.
  • Any extra equipment required (for instance, DAT recorder, non-standard button box).
  • A copy of your experimental program on USB Key, CD or floppy disk.
  • Disk to retrieve behavioural data from (floppy, or USB Key or Zip if larger).
  • CBU yellow participant receipt forms (for booked participants and a few blank spares).
  • Participant Money.
  • Notebook to log experiment.
  • This guide.

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9. Checklist for time at the CBU Scanner.

If scanning for the first time, arrive approximately 45 minutes before the slot begins, to wait for the participant and setup and double check your experiment. If you are inexperienced, it is advisable to bring a 'buddy' with you to help out on the day, particularly if you are scanning more than one person, or have not scanned before. For each scanning slot, the following times should be allowed in any calculation of time needed per participant: i) Paperwork (10 minutes if participant has been scanned before, 20 minutes otherwise); ii) placing participant in scanner and calibration (5 mins); iii) structural and fieldmap scans (7 mins); iv) participant leaving scanner and payment (5 mins). In addition to this, there will be the EPI time for the actual experiment, the length of which you should know in advance, from the details of your experiment.

9.1 Check experimental program is running (20 mins before slot begins):

  • 9.1.1. Reboot PC. This is HIGHLY recommended to prevent non-specific problems and crashes.

    9.1.2. Boot up and test program. Make sure the program is running as it should.

    9.1.3. Test extraneous equipment. Test that visual presentation is appropriately appearing on the screen in the scanner room. Make sure the button box responses will be recorded by your program. There is a program called "Scanner Input Test," which gives a visual display of the button presses and scanner pulses (pulses can be simulated by a button on the wall). This is an excellent way of verifying correct input. If audio stimuli are used, first verify that the Windows settings are appropriately set: i) double click on the yellow loudspeaker, in system tray at the bottom right of the screen; ii) check to ensure that the master and wave/line levels are set to maximum; iii) ensure that the balance is set centrally. Make sure that the headphones are working properly. If there are two experimenters present, one should listen on the headphones while the other plays tones into each ear. Make sure that the tones are clearly audible and that the input is balanced between ears. If only one experimenter is present, test this procedure on the participant before scanning starts. If there are any problems, contact Gary Chandler (ext. 413) or Rhodri Cusack (ext. 850).

9.2 On participant arrival (30 mins before slot begins):

  • 9.2.1. Paperwork. Each participant is given a unique scan number for each session that they take part in. Each session file needs to contain a signed Consent Form and a signed Volunteer Screening form. The researcher should make sure that the volunteer has read the Volunteer Information Sheet prior to the scan and retain this for their records. The Consent Form and Volunteer Information sheet need to be the same forms that were submitted to and approved by the LREC. The radiographer will already have your CBU Ethics protocol number and a label with this number will be attached to the back of the Screening form by the radiographer.

    9.2.2. Entering the scanning suite. The researcher should ask the volunteer to complete all of the forms described above. Please then introduce the volunteer to the radiographer who is on duty. Once the volunteer has been screened and cleared for scanning by the radiographer they will be asked to place all their items into one of the lockers beside the staff kitchen. Bulky items not fitting into the lockers (such as sports bags) may be taken into the Control Room by the researcher at the radiographer's discretion. The volunteer will be checked for metal by the radiographer who will escort them into the Controlled Zone/Magnet Room.

    9.2.3. Give participant practice. . If the task requires a practice session, then this should be done in the Scanner Office next to the Control room (the Control room is out of bounds to participants). The office has a PC identical to the stimulus PCs, along with a button box, except that (at the present time) no scanner pulses can be simulated.

    9.2.4. Radiographer place participant in scanner. The radiographer will make sure the participant is placed in the scanner, with the headphones, earplugs (if your experiment is audio-critical, it is not essential that the earplugs are used), microphone and button-box (if required), and will make sure the participant can see the screen clearly before continuing. The pulse oximeter is attached to an available finger and the call button is placed on either a free hand or the chest. It is emphasized at this point that if the volunteer becomes uncomfortable they are able to press the call button at any time during the study to attract the radiographer's attention. On re-entering the Control Room, the radiographer will ask the volunteer to press the call button to make sure it works. It is vital for the researcher to double-check (via the intercom) that the participant has the button box appropriately placed, knows which button means which response and can see the screen fully and clearly before starting.

9.3. During scanning:

  • 9.3.1. Give radiographer details of the study. . Based on the details of your experiment, you should already know what fMRI protocol you are running (for instance, the 'standard' CBU TR 2 secs), if there are any special characteristics of the fMRI protocol, how many runs you plan to give the participant (typically 2-4), and how many scans you will roughly need for each run. For instance, you may request a TR of 2 seconds, with three runs, and each run having 850 scans in it. Remember to factor in the "dummy scans" for each run, to allow the signal to stabilise sufficiently.

    9.3.2. Regularly tell the participant what is going on. In addition to the radiographer, who will usually warn the participant when loud noises will occur before calibration scans and other 'standard' events, you should inform the participant via the microphone system about experimental scans which are about to start. Also, ask them regularly if they are still comfortable, whether everything is alright, and if there are any stimulus presentation problems. If there are any problems with the scanner which may cause delays or unusual events (e.g. noises, people entering the scanning room), keep the participant regularly informed. It can be a frustrating, boring, and sometimes rather frightening experience for the participant if there are lengthy delays due to malfunctions and this can be alleviated considerably by keeping them informed.

    9.3.3. Remind participants before each scanning run. Tell the participants again, via the microphone system, that they should keep their heads as still as possible (even if the radiographer has already done this), and remind them of the details of the task they are about to carry out. Make sure again that they can see the screen fully and clearly (and can hear clearly if the experiment is auditory). Ask them if there is anything they don't understand or have forgotten, to make absolutely sure they will do the task appropriately during the scan.

    9.3.4. Keep careful note of experimental details. Not only should you write down all details of the study (e.g. condition order, etc.), but also any problems that occurred, such as the scanner crashing, etc.

9.4. After the participant has been scanned:

  • 9.4.1. Get feedback on experiment from participant.

    9.4.2. The radiographer should at this point give the participant a photo of their structural scan.

    9.4.3. Pay participant. Payment is £10 per hour, plus a contribution towards travel expenses (£2 from within Cambridge; £2.50 from outside Cambridge). Please note, however, that the minimum payment for scanning is £20 plus the contribution towards travel expenses (so, for one hour of scanning £20 is paid, for 2 hours it is also £20, but for 3 hours it would be £30).

    9.4.4. MRI scanning log. Please make sure you keep a note during the scanning session of how the various scans were named (EPI Run 1, Run 2, structural etc.) You will need this information in order to identify and analyse your data.

    9.4.5. Backup data. Any behavioural or scanning data generated should now be backed up either on a floppy, CD, USB or zip disk (don't expect the Imaging Facility to have any spare disks available). The computers on which these data have been acquired are deleted at regular intervals and you may lose data if you do not take it away on the day of scanning. In addition, these PCs are heavily used and can develop hardware faults, which may mean the loss of your data if it is left there.

Anchor(c)

C) After scanning

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10. Retrieving the data.

At the end of each day, the radiographers transfer the day's data to the /mridata/cbu. It is kept here permanently, so there is no need to copy the data to your own directory. If you feel the need to do this, you should delete the data at some later point to avoid unnecessary duplication. If your data has not arrived at this location within a couple of days, you should email the [mailto:radiographers@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk radiographers] to get this issue resolved.

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Scanning Feedback.

If there are any problems during your study and/or any queries regarding procedures it is important that this information is fed back directly to the Facility Administrator, [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby]. This is particularly important with regard to scheduling (for example, if problems have occurred which mean that you will require more slots. A Scanning Feedback is available within the Imaging Facility or from Lucille Murby for this purpose. The IMC will regularly review these forms in order to try to address any difficulties and modify our procedures as necessary.Last revision 27/7/6 Lucille Murby, Daniel Bor and Adrian Owen.

CbuImaging: CbuComprehensiveGuide (last edited 2013-03-07 21:23:01 by localhost)