CAHBIR MRI Suite

Date: July 16, 2024 2:05 PM

About CAHBIR MRI Suite

Leadership David Zald, Director [david.zald#rutgers.edu]

Jeffrey Luci, Technical Director [jefrey.luci#rutgers.edu]

Bernadette Lovas, MRI Technician [bernadette.lovas#rutgers.edu]

Location and hours of operation 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday Open for Trained Users 24/7

661 Hoes Lane West, Staged Resarch Building, Piscataway, NJ 08854

Links and Resources

  1. Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (rutgers.edu)

Training Requirements

  • To schedule scans in iLab, no training is required, just the creation of an iLab account, PI approval and CAHBIR admin approval
  • MRI Training 1 is required to be the assistant to an MR technician. This means giving the consent form to the participant, doing any data collection or surveys, explaining scanning procedure and accompanying them into the control room. From there the MR technician (Bernadette Lovas, usually) will do another pre-scan overview to double check, will take them into the magnet room and get them set up, and then operate the scanner from the control room. You will be in the control room for assistance and also to carry out any study procedures.
    • 1-2 hour course
    • Ask Jeff or Bernadette when the next one is, happens when there is enough demand
  • MRI Training 2 is required to be the MR technician and access the scanning room without Bernadette.
    • Full-day course
    • Happens less frequently, ask Jeff or Bernadette

Scheduling Scans

(Holmes Lab Project Code is Project 836892-800)

  • The scanner can be requested on iLab:

    iLab: https://rutgers.ilab.agilent.com/

    • Log into ilab (registration link here: https://rutgers.ilab.agilent.com/landing/196)
    • Request access from your PI
    • They allow
    • Then CAHBIR allows
    • Then you get access to project codes
      • (Holmes Lab Project Code is Project 836892-800)
    • Then you can request in iLab
      • You’ll get an email when the reservation has been approved
      • it will be approved unless it’s overlapping with another lab
  • Editing Reservation Requests
    • Labs are now able to cancel a reservation in iLab after it has been approved. Please note that iLab will warn you of a fee even when the reservation is canceled outside of the 24-hour cancelation period. CAHBIR staff will refer to the timestamp provided at the time of cancelation to determine if a fee is warranted. Unfortunately, editing approved reservations is still NOT permitted. Alternatively, you may cancel the original reservation and reserve the correct date/time. Labs are no longer required to submit a request to cahbir-support@rutgers.edu when canceling or editing approved reservations. Please reach out with any questions.
  • CAHBIR has a 24-hour cancellation policy— otherwise you pay
    • if you haven’t heard from the participant in 26hrs , just cancel the appt
    • Then if they confirm, put it back on the cal
    • If someone cancels, you can have someone else come in within the same day
      • Have a list of people who can fill in
      • Or cancel prefunctively
  • How long to reserve:
    • How long the scan is for the study + 15mins

  • Places You can reserve at CAHBIR:

    Free

    • testing room
    • Observation room
    • Mock scanner
    • EEG room

    Paid

    • scanner room

Pre-Scan Screening

  • Verbally screen them to make sure they don’t have any obvious
  • Then send them the qualtrics form and sign them up
    • Ask Jeff for access to the form
    • Also ask about nails, hair extensions, wigs, glasses, head coverings,
    • Ask about height and BMI
    • Explain the procedures
      • Heating them up (but in a limit!
      • Make sure they can squeeze a ball
      • Explain the size / claustrophobia + cushions, not crossing hands or legs
      • Explain holding still
    • Explain MRI safety and magnets
    • Explain timeline for scan and also the session in tot
  • Then have Bernadette review qualtrics form - before getting good at it
  • Then once you have a go ahead from Bernadette, schedule the session
  • Find out their glasses prescription if they have it, make sure they wear removable shoes, not super metal pants, removable top because they’ll have to change, to remove any piercings or jewelry at home, ask about hair wigs, hair extensions

fMRI Procedures and Safety:

  • Magnet is ALWAYS ON. Even if there’s a power outage.
  • The closer you’re in to the magnet, the more dangerous /pulling

Will have to change into:

  • Jewelery that’s ok: pure gold, pure silver
  • take off belt, take off costume jewelry
  • All will have to change into a scrub top
    • Belt will come off,
  • Shoes will come off
  • Any kind of pants are fine except ones with metal stuff like zippers down the side
  • Any Bobby pins, anything in pockets
  • Shoes are usually not a problem, but are so with patients
  • Jeans are okay, but be
  • Permanent retainers OK
    • Not a safety concern, just an artifact thing
  • Take out tinted contact lenses

Miscellaneous Info

  • Everyone is welcome in reception room and zone 2 (bathroom)
  • When you go into the control room, you want to have already taken off all the stuff you need
  • You can reach out to Jeff to schedule a level 2
  • You can go into zone 4 with Bernadette
  • Ask Bernadette to review the wuwltrics screening once it’s done by telling her the date and time the screen was completed (so she can find what form it is without telling her the name)
    • If there’s something, she’ll tell you the questions, you’ll go to the participant with the questions, then you’ll get them back
    • If there’s medical documentation needed, you’ll upload: