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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Nursing Research

Department of Psychosocial and Community Health Nursing at the University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle, cjohnson{at}u.washington.edu

Todd L. Richards, PhD

Department of Radiology at the School of Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle

Kristen H. Archbold, RN, PhD

Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems at the University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle

Carol A. Landis, DNSc, RN, FAAN

Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems at the University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a powerful noninvasive neuroimaging technique nurse scientists can use to investigate the structure and cognitive capacities of the brain. A strong magnetic field and intermittent high-frequency pulses cause protons in body tissues to release energy, which can be recorded and processed into images that are sensitive to specific tissue characteristics. Although temporal and spatial resolution constraints define an upper limit to the precision of magnetic resonance (MR) scanners, the primary index of neuronal activity, hemodynamic response, can be efficiently estimated. Characteristics of the experimental environment, the hypothesis of interest, and the physiology of the cognitive process under investigation provide guidance for the design and limit available options. The processing of functional data to remove unwanted variability is briefly described as are the techniques used to estimate statistical effects and control for the rate of false positives in the results. A detailed applied example of nursing research is included to demonstrate the practical application of the theory, methods, and techniques being discussed. A glossary of key terms is also provided.

Key Words: fMRI • sleep apnea • functional brain imaging • methodology review

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