Passive movement in blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI

Objective To establish a paradigm for routine fMRI scan in patients with brain lesion and to confirm the feasibility of using passive movement instead of active movement in blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI (BOLD fMRI).Methods Ten healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study.The Philips Achieva 1.5 T MRI scanner was used to perform BOLD fMRI of passive movements and active movements with both right hand and left hand.Data analyses were performed with software in an MRI workstation as well as with SPM software.Results Volunteers finished all the paradigms perfectly.Nakedeye observation found no differences in range and location of the activation area acquired from MRI workstation.Data analyses by SPM showed slightly greater pixel in active movement than that in passive movement.The percentages of activated voxel in the contralateral sensorimotor cortex (SM1) and supplementary motor area (SMA) were respectively 42.7±6.4 and 9.7±2.3 (active movement on left hand),37.4±3.5 and 7.2± 1.3 (passive movement on left hand),39.6±4.7 and 6.3±2.6 (active movement on right hand),32.5 ±4 and 5.2 ±2.8 (passive movement on right hand).Conclusion Passive movement is a feasible paradigm for BOLD-fMRI modality and may be a substitute modality for patients with brain lesion. Key words: Motor cortex;  Magnetic resonance imaging;  Blood oxygenation level; Contralateral sensorimotor cortex