Simon Robinson

Info

I work on the development of ultra-high field (7 Tesla) functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging (SWI) methods for clinical application.

fMRI allows neuronal activation to be detected and localised. As well as being a central tool to understanding the human brain in the neurosciences, fMRI can be used prior to surgery to identify regions of the brain which the neurosurgeon must spare in order to ensure that the patient does not suffer from postoperative deficits. fMRI at 7 Tesla is more sensitive than at lower field strengths, but images also suffer from distortion, which needs to be corrected if activation is to be localised correctly. Part of our work involves the implementation of methods for correcting these distortions both statically (by measuring the magnetic field distribution in the head before the fMRI measurements) and dynamically (measuring the magnetic field in the head during the functional measurements). We also work on decreasing the sensitivity of 7 Tesla fMRI to motion, so that we can obtain reliable results even if the patients move their heads slightly during measurements.

SWI uses a generally neglected property of the MR signal, the phase, to enhance the contrast in veins and other structures containing iron. Ultra-high field MRI is highly sensitive to iron, allowing exquisite, high resolution images of the venous vessels of the brain to be generated. Our group works on the combination of phase images from the many small coils which make up a modern 'phased array' head coil. We are also beginning to apply the same approach to other regions of the body, such as the muscelo-skeletal system.