I believe that PET is X-ray (building up a three dimensional image using 'slices') while fMRI (functional MRI or magnetic resonance imaging) uses magnets to stimulate emissions from the brain structure. Since the actual images depend on the computer processing program that generates them, I'm not sure if they can easily be distinguished unless you know which brain structures each is best at delineating.
On Oct 24, 2011, at 8:28 AM, Michael Britt wrote: Excellent sources Scott - thank you. So I'll add these key points as differences between fMRI and PET: * PET: adv: patient can move during the scan, disadv: expensive and invasive (injection of radioactive isotope) * fMRI: adv: higher resolution than PET, non-invasive, disadv: patient cannot move during the scanning process It sounds like it would be too difficult (and not necessary) for our students to be able to tell the difference between an image of an fMRI scan and a PET scan. Michael A. Britt, Ph.D. [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> http://www.ThePsychFiles.com<http://www.ThePsychFiles.com/> Twitter: mbritt On Oct 24, 2011, at 9:03 AM, Lilienfeld, Scott O wrote: Michael – Actually, lots of accessible discussions of this issue are available on the web. Here are two, but there are many others: http://www.brainybehavior.com/blog/2007/07/pet-scans-and-fmri-compared/ http://users.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/~stuart/thesis/chapter_3/section3_1.html …Scott Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D. Department of Psychology, Room 473 Emory University 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>; 404-727-1125 From: Michael Britt [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 8:38 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Types of brain scans Since my experience with brain scans is limited, can someone tell me if I have the following correct: * CT scan: uses xrays, the scan is good for revealing the structure of the ear perhaps, but very little detail of the brain * MRI: uses magnets, reveals more detail of the brain's structure * fMRI: also using magnets, but reveals the activity of the neurons in the brain by detecting changes in oxygen in the blood (oxygen used by active neurons) * PET: requires the injection of a radioactive substance that contains glutamate, detects activity in the brain via neurons using up the glutamate Question: fMRI and PET scans look very similar. How can students tell them apart? When is one of these scans preferred over the other? --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=13630 or send a blank email to leave-13630-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
