ABSTRACT

Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an important and useful tool in the study of mature human brain function. Its use in evaluation of the developing brain has lagged for several reasons. This chapter aims to describe some unique challenges faced by those conducting fMRI studies in the pediatric population and also to detail practical solutions to these problems. The most obvious challenge in tailoring fMRI imaging to children is compliance. There are two important components to noncompliance in children. The first is the crippling anxiety children often experience when confronted with the prospect of entering an MRI bore. The second is head motion. Souweidane et al., in 1999, described an fMRI protocol for presurgical planning that can be performed with a sedated infant. fMRI is a powerful method for demonstrating evolution, development, and consolidation of neural networks.