Customized head molds reduce motion during resting state fMRI scans.

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Medical Engineering
• Biomedical Devices

Background:

• Head motion is a significant source of artifacts in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
• This issue is particularly problematic for resting-state fMRI and studies involving pediatric, aging, or clinical populations.
• Existing methods using foam padding are not always sufficient to minimize motion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of custom-made, anatomy-specific Styrofoam head molds in reducing head motion during fMRI scans.
• To assess the impact of these molds on fMRI data quality and artifact reduction across a wide age range.

Main Methods:

• Developed custom Styrofoam head molds for individual subjects (ages 7-28).
• Scanned subjects using both standard foam padding and custom head molds.
• Quantified head motion using six head position estimates and analyzed fMRI data quality indices.

Main Results:

• Custom head molds reduced head motion in 12 out of 13 subjects, particularly rotational and directional movements.
• Motion reduction was observed across the entire age spectrum studied (children, adolescents, young adults).
• fMRI data quality improved, with reduced distance-dependent artifacts observed when using the head molds.

Conclusions:

• Customized head molds are effective and comfortable tools for minimizing head motion and associated artifacts in fMRI.
• This technique enhances the reliability of fMRI data, especially for vulnerable populations and resting-state studies.
• The findings support the broader adoption of head molds in neuroimaging research to improve data integrity.