Neuromagnetic localization using magnetic resonance images

Ionic flow associated with neural activation of the brain produces a magnetic field, called the neuromagnetic field, that can be measured outside the head using a highly sensitive superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)-based neuromagnetometer. Under certain conditions, the sources producing the neuromagnetic field can be localized from a sampling of the neuromagnetic field. Neuromagnetic measurements alone, however, do not contain sufficient information to visualize brain structure. Thus, it is necessary to combine neuromagnetic localization with an anatomical imaging technique such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize both function and anatomy in vivo. Using experimentally measured human neuromagnetic fields and magnetic resonance images, the authors have developed a technique to register accurately these two modalities and have applied the registration procedure to portray the spatiotemporal distribution of neural activity evoked by auditory stimulation.