I. Major Decision Points

• A. Patient Selection- Client
• B. Radiological Scan Protocol Selection-MemTestCorp (MTC) & Client
• C. Neurocognitive Task Selection-MTC
• D. Hardware (workstations, storage) Selection-Client & MTC
• E. Image Reconstruction Method Selection-MTC
• F. Image Conversion Selection-MTC
• G. Statistical Analyses Selection-MTC
• H. Visual Representation Selection-MTC
• I. Quality Assurance Selection-MTC
• J. Network Selection-Client & MTC

II.Critical Path Sequence-MTC

A. Select patient(s)

B. Select area(s) of brain/body to scan with appropriate coverage

C. Select fMRI protocol parameters (BOLD, epoch length)

1. Research Agreement with MRI Company (GE)

2. Install to enable Research Mode for MRI protocol hard key (chips)

D. Train MRI Research Tech (specific pulse sequence parameters)

E. Train patient (neurocognitive tasks, timing)

1. Task depends on brain location/functional relation

2. Kind and Quantity control to eliminate head movement

F. Immobilize patient's head (flow, foam, tape)

G. Run scan series (T1 Sag, Ax, loc; EPI BOLD) collect 128 - 1,700 images

H. Extract images from MRI storage-reconstruct and decompress (E & D tools)

I. Move images to workstation (FTP protocol, Binary Type)

J. Delete temporary image files from MRI hard disk

K. Sort images into epochs

L. Sift images (using middle six of ten in epoch)

M. Compute mean densities for

1. Regions of interest (ROI's),

2. control areas

N. Analyze mean densities of ROI's statistically (NIH-Image, Osiris)

1. SYSTAT: ANOVA, representative t-tests

2. CLUSTERING Algorithms

3. Friston's paradigms

4. Quality assessments for reliability

O. Construct composite image with statistical densities

1. assign color schemes (RGB, CYMK, etc)

2. represent density by color look up tables (CLUT's)

P. Co-reference anatomical and functional images for fMRI localization (NIH-Image; Photoshop)

Q. Compare results to Brain Image Repository, UTSAMC