fMRI Insights | Sumble

What is fMRI?

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow. It relies on the principle that cerebral blood flow and neuronal activation are coupled. When an area of the brain is in use, blood flow to that region also increases. fMRI is commonly used in research to study brain function, diagnose neurological disorders, and assess the effects of treatment.

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What other technologies are related to fMRI?

fMRI Competitor Technologies

EEG

EEG is a non-invasive method to measure electrical activity in the brain. It has better temporal resolution than fMRI but poorer spatial resolution, making it an alternative for some research questions.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 10% (739) of relevant job posts

MEG

MEG measures magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the brain, similar to EEG. It has better spatial resolution than EEG and better temporal resolution than fMRI, making it a competitor for certain cognitive neuroscience studies.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 22% (215) of relevant job posts

fNIRS

fNIRS measures brain activity through changes in hemoglobin concentrations using near-infrared light. It's less expensive and more portable than fMRI but has lower spatial resolution.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 29% (163) of relevant job posts

PET

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) measures brain activity through the use of radioactive tracers. While PET has different strengths (e.g., can measure specific neurotransmitter activity), it offers similar functional information as fMRI, thus is a competitor.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 2% (128) of relevant job posts

fMRI Complementary Technologies

DTI

Diffusion Tensor Imaging is an MRI technique that measures white matter tracts. It provides structural information that can complement fMRI's functional information.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 45% (156) of relevant job posts

DWI

Diffusion-weighted imaging is an MRI method that measures the diffusion of water, and is complementary with fMRI to study structural and functional relationships.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 64% (51) of relevant job posts

FSL

FSL (FMRIB Software Library) is a software package for fMRI data analysis, and so it complements the use of fMRI.

mentioned alongside fMRI in 9% (170) of relevant job posts