Welcome to the MindCORE Neuroimaging Facility documentation!

The MindCORE MRI Neuroimaging Facility is dedicated to furthering research to understand the mind using multimodal imaging techniques. Established by the School of Arts and Sciences and located on the Pennovation Works site, the Facility houses a state-of-the-art 3T Siemens Cima.X MRI scanner equipped with cutting edge Gemini Gradients offering the highest gradient strength currently available in a commercial whole-body MRI scanner. Other Facility resources include a 64-channel EEG system (Brain Vision), behavioral testing rooms, a mock MRI scanner, meeting rooms, and co-working space for research personnel. The Facility supports research of scholars from across campus and the greater Philadelphia area, including more than 100 MindCORE affiliated faculty members from a range of academic disciplines. Established by SAS under the Mapping the Mind goals of the strategic plan outlined by Dean Steven J. Fluharty, the MindCORE Neuroimaging Facility opened in May of 2024.

Contents

• Getting Started
  • User Access and Training
  • Level 1 – Access Only
  • Level 2 – Basic Operator
  • Level 3 – Advanced Operator
• General Research Policies and Procedures
  • Scan and Equipment Rates
  • General Safety Precautions
  • Scanner Suite Access
  • MRI Trained Users
  • Scan Buddies
  • MRI Research Observers
  • Scanner Etiquette
  • Incidental Findings
  • Subject Confidentiality
  • IRB Approval
  • Scheduling
  • Accessing Your Data
  • Devices Brought into the Scanner Room
• Scanner Stability Measures
  • Overview
  • Gradient Coil Temperatures
  • 64-channel coil metrics
  • 32-channel coil metrics
  • 20-channel coil metrics

How-tos: General

• Calpendo Signup
• Project Requests
• Participant Screening
• Workday Training Certificates

How-tos: MRI

• Scanbuddy Real-Time Motion Tracking
• MRI: Intro to Scanner Software Interface
• MRI: Registering Participants
• MRI: Archive MRI Data
• MRI: Exporting MRI Data
• MRI: Closing Out a Participant Scan
• MRI: Restarting, shutting down, and starting up the MRI scanner
• MRI: Stability Scanning
• Setting up the MRI-compatible eye tracker

How-tos: EEG

• EEG: Scheduling and setting up the EEG recording suite
• EEG: General tips and instructions
• EEG: Detailed Recording Protocol
• EEG: Brain Vision Recorder Software
• EEG: Avoiding noise in the EEG recording room

Note

This documentation is under construction. Please let Dr. Kirwan know if there are missing items or trainings you’d like to see here.