As indicated in our MRI Safety Policies and Procedures Manual (“safety manual”), researchers who need to enter and work at the Sammons BrainHealth Imaging Center need to be listed on an IRB-approved MRI research study or be authorized administrative, service or maintenance personnel.
BHIC strongly encourages that a minimum of two MRI safety trained personnel be present in the control room at all times during an MRI scan procedure. At least one of the individuals must be the BHIC MRI Technologist or other approved Independent MRI Operator for the research scan being conducted. Research personnel should be qualified (and physically able) to respond as necessary during an MRI emergency situation, must have completed Level 2 MRI Safety Training, and have current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Safety Training
BHIC utilizes the Research Management Platform, BioRAFT, managed by UTD Office of Research and Innovation, to track training completion & expiration of safety training and administer Comet Card access to appropriate areas based on the roles described below. Incomplete, expired or overdue training will prompt suspension of Comet Card access.
The levels of training which allow access to the Sammons BrainHealth Imaging Center are:
Level 1 MR Personnel
Level 1 Personnel includes research staff and students involved in IRB-approved research studies. These individuals may consent participants, observe, assist or work in the MRI Control Room. This may also include staff from IT, security, and facilities. Level 1 personnel are unable to freely access the scanner rooms, operate the scanners, or admit anyone into Zone III or IV. For Zone IV access, they must be screened and supervised by Level 2 MR personnel.
Level 2 MR Personnel
Level 2 Personnel includes research personnel who may screen, admit, and escort research participants to the Center. They may ultimately supervise other researchers while in the Control Room. Level 2 personnel include all BHIC personnel (MRI Technologists, Research Scientist, Administrative Coordinator), other trained MRI Operators, as well as research faculty, staff and students involved in IRB-approved research studies. Level 2 personnel are unable to operate the scanners without further training but they can freely access all zones including III and IV.
Independent MRI Operators
Independent MRI Operators are Level 2 MR personnel who are also trained to utilize the BHIC and operate the scanners without the MRI Technologist or other BHIC personnel present. Independent MRI Operator training is limited to lab-specific IRB-approved protocols. Independent Operator training is conducted by BHIC personnel, including but not limited to MRI Technology Manager and MRI Technologists, and must be certified by the Research Scientist. The program is open to UTD faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students or RAs (undergraduates may not participate in the training program).
Need Safety Training?
Contact the BHIC Administrative Coordinator in order to be added to the BHIC training group and assigned the appropriate level of training.
MRI Safety Screening Form
The BHIC MRI Safety Screening Form is used to evaluate the safety of each person before that person is permitted in Zones III and/or IV. It is a comprehensive safety screening tool based on standardized forms & criteria promoted by MRI experts.
The preliminary screening is conducted prior to scheduling the participant for a scan. The individual conducting the screening must be listed on the appropriate IRB–approved protocol for which they are recruiting and have completed IRB-approved Human Subject Research training as well as successfully completed MRI Safety Training.
The MRI Safety Screening Form is also an annual requirement for research personnel. It is the responsibility of these individuals to notify the screener if a contraindication (such as pregnancy, surgery, or injuries involving ferromagnetic material) should arise that could prevent them from entering Zone IV/scanner room.
Need to submit your annual screening form?
Use the quick link below to download the MRI Safety Screening Form. Upon completion, return the form to the BHIC Administrative Coordinator for review (completion date must be manually added to BioRAFT).
Participant Scheduling
The Sammons BrainHealth Imaging Center utilizes Lab Resources Scheduler to reserve time on the scanners and pre/post-task assessment areas. Access to the Imaging Center resources is by request only. Researchers will be given access upon completion of the required MRI Safety training. We have been advised that due to the nature of the information research personnel may have access to, in order for them to be able to schedule the participant, they should be listed as study personnel on the IRB which may also require Human Subject Protections training (follow-up directly with the IRB for confirmation) so they are familiar with proper consenting guidelines.
Reservations for scans are required and should take place only after a participant has been properly screened & confirmed/consented. The schedule/scan reservation should not be used to hold or block scanning time. Reservations will be reviewed continuously to maximize the scan schedule. Violations of scheduling procedures may result in suspension of usage of BHIC scanners.
Scan reservations can be booked in 15-minute increments and booked time should account for 1) participant screening and set-up, and 2) scan time required for data acquisition. The schedule is open on a rolling three (3) month basis.
Need access to Lab Resources?
User access to view the BrainHealth Imaging Center resources requires an account.First time users should log into Lab Resources (UTD Net-ID and password required) and logout. Notify the BHIC Administrative Coordinator who will then be able to set appropriate permissions to access BHIC scanner and consent room schedules.
Pulse Sequences
The Sammons BrainHealth Imaging Center, via the Siemens C2P process, has acquired state-of-the-art pulse sequences for:
- pCASL (arterial spin labeling) from USC
- Multiband EPI from University of Minnesota
- Spectroscopy Package from University of Minnesota
- Dual Echo pCASL from McGill University
- ABCD Package from Massachusetts General Hospital
- Neuromelanin from UC-Riverside
- MREEG from University Hospital Freiburg (Germany)
- TRUST from Johns Hopkins University
- Vascular-Space-Occupancy (VASO) from Bonn University (Germany)
By signing the pulse sequence agreement with each collaborating institution, BHIC and its users agree that should the use of the sequence result in scientific publication(s), the providing institution will be acknowledged in the publication(s). BHIC and users may: (a) publish scientific papers and/or give oral presentations relating to their research, including results of the research and any other information required for a complete and accurate presentation of such results (as determined in accordance with generally accepted standards for scientific publications within the academic medical research field); and (b) describe (otherwise than by publication of the EXECUTABLE FILES/IDEA License or portions thereof) the sequence(s) as necessary for any such publication or presentation.
BHIC Data Transfer
Once a project has been IRB approved and ready to begin method development, piloting or study participant data collection, the following options are available from BHIC to transfer data.
Feel free to sign up for the service that best fits your needs.
BHIC MRXfer
The BHIC data service, MRXfer, has been fully operational since early 2021 with a 100% transfer success rate. The service is provided free-of-charge to BHIC user groups with an IRB-approved study and provides robust automated transfer and email notifications to the end-user.
Windows and Linux workstations are supported across campus. MRXfer can now send MR data from the scanner console to the cloud (OSN – openstoragenetwork.org).
Benefits of MRXfer over traditional USB drive storage/transfer:
- ~5 minutes: temporary copy created on bhic.utdallas.edu
- ~15 minutes: full delivery to the lab (usually)
- Automated email summary to the lab group, PI, and MR personnel
- Automated retry every 4 hours in the case of network downtime, for up to a week
- Data are always held securely:
- Indefinitely, if a transfer does not succeed for any reason
- Up to 1 week after a successful transfer. (This is intended to allow the lab time to create and verify a backup of their own, and is not a replacement for that backup.)
- Systematic file naming convention and standard archival format (.zip)
- Not subject to damage, loss, or theft of a small physical device during transport
- Not subject to disclosure of participant data if an unencrypted USB drive is lost or stolen during transport (or afterwards)
- No need to remember to bring a USB drive (that has adequate space, etc.)
Developed by BrainHealth IT Director, Jeremy Gray, the system can easily support a lot of different cloud storage systems (including Amazon S3, Box, DropBox, Google Cloud, Google Drive, Azure, OneDrive). Please reach out with any questions you have about MRXfer.
If a lab opts to use MRXfer, it does not preclude using other methods for data transfer.
Use this link to complete the enrollment form
COINS
Through a collaboration with Georgia State University (GSU-TReNDs), BHIC is set-up to utilize COINS (Collaborative Informatics and Neuroimaging Suite) for data transfer services to users.
Costs associated with COINS and additional services offered by the suite should be addressed with GSU/COINS personnel.
Once an account is set-up, BHIC is able to build a study at the scanner console for a new project and register a scanning participant to associate the images with the participant using their details. COINS produces a unique ID (URSI) for each participant which must be entered at the console.
New Study Request Form can be completed and submitted to BHIC/ personnel to set-up an account who will process the request with COINS personnel.
Researcher Testimonial
Check out this testimonial from one of our researchers – Dr. Anila D’Mello
Hear her top reasons for conducting imaging research at the Sammons BrainHealth Imaging Center.