Methodological issues in pediatric neuroimaging

The emergence of new technologies to study brain function in vivo has resulted in an explosion of interest in cognitive neuroscience within the last ten years. While most research in functional neuroimaging has been geared toward adult normal volunteers, the development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has made it possible to study neural development in normal children, as well as those with developmental disorders. This technology provides an unprecedented opportunity to expand our knowledge of brain function throughout childhood. A variety of technological, experimental, and practical difficulties are amplified when imaging children. This paper reviews some of the more challenging theoretical and practical concerns and provides suggestions for their management.