Method and apparatus for performing neuroimaging

Abstract

The present invention relates to a restraining assembly used in neuroimaging of animals in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. The body of the animal under study is secured within a tube with a head holder to reduce motion artifacts, particularly when the animal is awake. The tube is placed in the bore of the MRI system to conduct imaging procedures with a radio frequency coil adjacent to the animal's head.

1 . A restraining assembly to immobilize an awake animal for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, comprising: 
 a chassis;    a first mounting plate at one end of the chassis;    a second mounting plate at a second end of said chassis opposite said first mounting plate;    an elongated body tube extending along said chassis; and    a head holder that restrains the head of an animal, the head holder having an rf coil.    
     
     
         2 . The restraining assembly of    claim 1    wherein said head holder further comprises a pair of lateral ear clamping screws extending horizontally through the sides of said head holder into the bore of said aperture and generally perpendicular to an elongated axis thereof and above a horizontal bite bar, and a protective ear piece.  
     
     
         3 . The restraining assembly of    claim 1    wherein said head holder further comprises a nose clamping screw extending inward through the top of said head holder into a bore of said aperture.  
     
     
         4 . The restraining assembly    claim 1    wherein said head holder further comprises a pair of jaw anchor screws extending inward through said head holder into bore of said aperture.  
     
     
         5 . The restraining assembly    claim 1    wherein said head holder further comprises a head clamping screw located at the top of said head holder and extending inward through said head holder into a bore of said aperture.  
     
     
         6 . The restraining assembly of    claim 1    further comprising a restraining jacket for immobilizing the animal.  
     
     
         7 . The restraining assembly    claim 2    further comprising ear pads wherein said ear pads are placed under said protective ear piece.  
     
     
         8 . A method of imaging a brain of a conscious awake animal, comprising: 
 restraining an un-anesthetized animal in an assembly slidably mounted in an MRI device, the assembly including a chassis;    a front mounting plate located at a first end of the chassis;    a rear mounting plate located at a second end of the chassis opposite the front mounting plate;    an elongated body tube extending along the chassis the tube enclosing the animal; and    conducting an imaging procedure on the brain conscious animal.    
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 8    further comprising the step of amplifying the sensitivity of low field strength magnets by implementing exogenous contrast agents, blood oxygenation-level-dependant contrast and radio frequency sequences.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 8    further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a computerized histological representation of an fMRI signal; and  
 forming a three dimensional digital map of the imaged brain from a computerized histological representation of the fMRI signal  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 9    further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a computerized histological representation of a fMRI signal; and  
 forming a three dimensional digital map of the imaged brain from a computerized histological representation of the fMRI signal.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 8    further comprising performing an fMRI sequence using a real-time three dimensional functioning unit.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 9    further comprising performing an fMRI sequence using a real-time three dimensional functioning unit.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for restraining a conscious animal during a magnetic resonance imaging procedure comprising; 
 a head holder with which an animal's head is restrained;    a chassis mounted within an MRI device on which the head holder is attached, the chassis having a first end plate and a second end plate mounted thereon such that the animal's body is positioned between the first end plate and the second end plate; and    a body tube in which the animal's body is enclosed.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of    claim 14    further comprising an rf coil that is mounted on the head holder.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of    claim 14    further comprising a hole in the second end plate, the body tube having a size such that the body tube can be inserted through the hole.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of    claim 14    further comprising a clamp on the head holder that is be secured to the animal's head and a bite bar.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of    claim 14    further comprising a restraining jacket that restrains an un-anesthetized animal during an imaging procedure.