Overview

fMRI detects blood oxygen level dependent BOLD signal changes related to neuronal activity enabling functional mapping of brain regions.

Technique

Task based or resting state paradigms and careful preprocessing are required for reliable activation maps.

Clinical Uses

Preoperative functional mapping for language and motor areas and research into brain networks and cognition.

Limitations and Safety

Susceptible to motion and physiologic noise. Interpretation requires expertise and correlation with clinical data.