A Study on the MEG Imaging

MEG 영상진단 검사에 관한 연구

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is the measurement of the magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the brain, usually conducted externally, using extremely sensitive devices such as Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). MEG needs complex and expensive measurement settings. Because the magnetic signals emitted by the brain are on the order of a few femtoteslas (1 fT = 10-15T), shielding from external magnetic signals, including the Earth's magnetic field, is necessary. An appropriate magnetically shielded room is very expensive, and constitutes the bulk of the expense of an MEG system. MEG is a relatively new technique that promises good spatial resolution and extremely high temporal resolution, thus complementing other brain activity measurement techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MEG combines functional information from magnetic field recordings with structural information from MRI. The clinical uses of MEG are in detecting and localizing epileptic form spiking activity in patients with epilepsy, and in localizing eloquent cortex for surgical planning in patients with brain tumors. Magnetoencephalography may be used alone or together with electroencephalography, for the measurement of spontaneous or evoked activity, and for research or clinical purposes.