On December 6th 1999, Princeton University signed an agreement for the acquisition of a Siemens Allegra 3.0T head-dedicated MRI scanner. Following the construction of the CSBMB neuroimaging facility at Green Hall, the scanner was delivered on September 6, 2000. To see a photo journal of the contruction and installation, please click here. As of November 17, 2000, the scanner is fully functioning. The first EPI/BOLD images acquired on the system are shown below. To the left are EPI images from a simple finger tapping experiment -- the first functional study performed at the CSBMB imaging facility. On the right is a time course of activation for a region of interest. Click on images to see larger versions with captions. Plans are well underway at the CSBMB to integrate fMRI with simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR) measurement, pupillometry, and eye-tracking. Sample Images Functional mapping data of retinotopic visual cortex collected on our scanner www.princeton.edu/~ftong/#Retinotopy You can download several datasets of images from our Allegra: QA_large_bottle Brain_Visual Phantom MR System Description The MAGNETOM 3T Allegra MR System is a dedicated high field MR headscanner based on a compact, superconducting 3T magnet. Designed for advanced neuro MR studies, the field of view (22 cm) is optimized to the requirements of brain imaging. Both the magnetic field homogeneity (+/- 0.3ppm) and the gradient power (40mT/m Amplitude; 100 microsec Rise Time; 400 T/m/s Slew Rate) are focused on the brain imaging volume. This provides benefits in MR imaging studies of the brain that require high temporal / spatial resolution. The high 3T magnetic field serves particularly to enhance imaging performance in advanced brain studies based on susceptibility weighted contrast (perfusion or diffusion weighted images and functional MRI) and chemical shift (spectroscopy). The compact magnet design of the MR system provides open access to human study subjects and readily accommodates headphones and eyeglass view devices that are required in stimulation-based functional MR imaging studies. The dedicated Allegra is based on the clinical 1.5T Symphony product platform. The operation is very similar to that of other MAGNETOM systems. Wherever possible, the Allegra uses standard MAGNETOM hardware, software, and service components. Unique components of the head scanner are the magnet, the patient table, the gradient and shim coils, a CP headcoil, 123 MHz RF electronics, and a 123 MHz RF power amplifier. To see Siemens promotional material on this scanner, click here.