fMRI Scanning at MIT: For Infants
- CBMM Research
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PRESNTER: Welcome to MIT. Your visit today will be in this building. We are located at 43 Vassar Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But the address that will get you closer to our parking spots is 524 Main Street in Cambridge, Mass.
If you are driving, you can park in one of our designated parking spots and then call us. We will meet you when you arrive. We'll start out in our playroom.
We will take some time to settle in. We will start by going over the consent process and asking you to fill out an MRI metal screening form for you and your child. If you don't know how tall your child is, we can measure them. We can also check how much they weigh.
Now is a great time to change diapers or feed. If you are planning to go into the scanning room, we will provide scrubs for you to change into. We will use our metal wand to check for metal on both you and your child.
If you have a bottle, pacifier, or toys, we can bring them into the scanner room if they don't have metal. We will check them first. Before going into the scanner, you will do one last metal check by spinning in a circle for our second metal detector.
Green means good to go. Welcome to the control room. You are welcome to stay here to watch while we prepare your child for the scan.
This is the MRI scanner. No metal past this point, including cell phones. Check your pockets.
Your child can sit or lie down on the scanner bed. First, we will put on earmuffs. Next, we will put the headphones over the earmuffs.
The headphones will play lullabies to your child while in the scanner. We will let your child get comfortable with the sensation of having these headphones on. It's time to lay down.
We will make sure the headphones are nice and secure before we start the scan. When we slide this mirror forward, your child can see our videos. You can lie on the bed if you think it will be comforting for your child. We will provide ear protection for you as well.
Time to start. During the scan, a researcher will be with your child the whole time. They will communicate with the operator.
They can also communicate with you if you are lying on the scanner bed. During the scan, we will run the scanner for as long as your child is willing to watch our videos. They are also welcome to take a break at any time. All done.
Back in the control room, we can show you pictures of your child's brain and print out copies. Before you leave, we will also give you an MIT onesie and hat for your child. Thank you for your interest in our research. See you soon.
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What to expect when your child is participating in an fMRI study at MIT.