EEG fMRI devices measure electrical brain waves and changes in blood oxygen levels during peaks of brain activity. They are used in neuroscience research, sleep studies, and psychiatry, and can help pinpoint the area of the brain where seizures occur. The test records fluctuations in brain activity and how they affect fMRI signals, defined as blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signs. However, some studies have found problems with inconclusive results.
An electroencephalography-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (EEG fMRI) device allows for the measurement of electrical brain waves while also analyzing changes in blood oxygen levels during peaks of brain activity. An fMRI EEG machine scans brain function in real time and also records activity for later examination. This medical equipment initially helped doctors pinpoint the area of the brain where seizures occur. More recent uses of an fMRI EEG include neuroscience research on brain disorders, sleep studies, and psychiatry.
The EEG portion of the test detects excursions in electrical waves throughout the brain. The scientists found that they could also record the body’s metabolic response to brain activity by adding scans through magnetic resonance imaging. When the test was first used in 1993, doctors recorded electrical waves and changes in blood oxygen levels separately to avoid getting conflicting signals. Six years later, computer software for simultaneously performing an fMRI EEG came on the market.
An fMRI EEG scan typically occurs over a two-hour period. The electrodes are attached to the patient’s head and an amplifier and connected to a computer. The test records fluctuations in brain activity and how they affect fMRI signals, defined as blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signs. BOLD represents the body’s metabolic response to brain waves. Doctors can determine whether the electrical activity has created more or less oxygen in the blood.
Studies show that most BOLD signals occur in the region of the brain where electrical activity is generated. Occasionally, these signals occur elsewhere, but an EEG fMRI often helps determine the type of epilepsy and the area of the brain affected. The scan results could aid in surgical strategies to destroy brain cells that cause seizures if that specific part of the brain doesn’t control critical bodily functions.
These scans usually don’t capture changes during an actual attack because these episodes are unpredictable. Patient movement during a seizure would likely blur the images captured by the machine. The scan offers a general view of brain activity and how blood oxygen levels correlate with spurts in neural changes.
Some studies have found problems with fMRI EEG from inconclusive results. In some patients, there was no change or insignificant change in BOLD signals when electrical activity was increased. A study that mapped the brain waves of epileptic patients over a long period of time in an attempt to identify the regions of the brain that trigger seizures showed mixed results.
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