An evaluation of the use of passive shimming to improve frontal sensitivity in fMRI
Abstract
The presence of the head in an MRI scanner leads to inhomogeneities in the magnetic field. These cause the 'susceptibility artifacts' of image distortion and signal dropout. In this paper, we evaluate a technique called passive shimming, which has the potential to reduce field inhomogeneities and the resultant artifacts. A piece of a magnetically active material (pyrolytic graphite) is held on the roof of the participant's mouth by a plastic mouth mould. We evaluate the effects in several different ways. We show that the presence of a shim reduces field inhomogeneity across much of the brain. From field maps, we generate simulations of EPI image intensity and BOLD sensitivity. Both of these are mainly improved by the presence of shim, although there were small reductions in some regions. Measured EPI image intensity also mostly increased. Finally, we ran a reward-punishment task in our subjects, and found that the presence of a shim increased functional sensitivity in the orbitofrontal cortex. Using the BOLD sensitivity measure, we provide estimates of the improvement to be expected in functional studies for a range of neural structures. Passive shims are quick to make and reasonably comfortable to wear, and have substantial potential for researchers investigating inferior frontal brain regions using MRI.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The medial orbital prefrontal cortex/gyrus rectus is badly affected by magnetic susceptibility artifact in fMRI studies, and to a lesser extent in DTI studies, due to the sensitivity of the echo planar imaging sequence to magnetic field gradients that occur adjacent to the paranasal sinuses.
“Importantly, the medial orbital prefrontal cortex/gyrus rectus is badly affected by magnetic susceptibility artifact in fMRI studies, and to a lesser extent in DTI studies, due to the sensitivity of the echo planar imaging sequence to magnetic field gradients that occur adjacent to the paranasal sinuses.”
From Widespread reductions in gray matter volume in depression (2013) · cites this paper as Cusack et al., 2005
These gradients reduce the contrast-to-noise of the Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent response and also cause geometric distortion.
“These gradients reduce the contrast-to-noise of the Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent response and also cause geometric distortion (Cusack et al., 2005; Grieve, 2000).”
From Widespread reductions in gray matter volume in depression (2013) · cites this paper as Cusack et al., 2005
Cites
Tzourio-Mazoyer, N., Landeau, B., Papathanassiou, D., Crivello, F., Etard, O., Delcroix, N., Mazoyer, B., & Joliot, M. (2002) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1006/nimg.2001.0978 · Cited by 16,319 · see citing works
Thresholding of statistical maps in functional neuroimaging using the false discovery rate
Genovese, C. R., Lazar, N. A., & Nichols, T. (2002) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1006/nimg.2001.1037 · Cited by 4,923 · see citing works
Emotion, Decision Making and the Orbitofrontal Cortex
Bechara, A. (2000) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/10.3.295 · Cited by 3,589 · see citing works
Abstract reward and punishment representations in the human orbitofrontal cortex
O'Doherty, J., Kringelbach, M. L., Rolls, E. T., Hornak, J., & Andrews, C. (2001) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/82959 · Cited by 2,003 · see citing works
Dissociation of reward anticipation and outcome with event-related fMRI
Knutson, B., Fong, G. W., Adams, C. M., Varner, J. L., & Hommer, D. (2001) · Neuroreport · doi:10.1097/00001756-200112040-00016 · Cited by 1,300 · see citing works
Changes in brain activity related to eating chocolate: From pleasure to aversion
Small, D. M. (2001) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/124.9.1720 · Cited by 1,179 · cited 2× · see citing works
“The OFC has been implicated in the representation of rewarding properties of stimuli or events (Elliott et al., 2003; Gottfried et al., 2002; Knutson et al., 2001; O’Doherty et al., 2001, 2002; Small et al., 2001), and in guiding responses in the context of rewarding outcomes (Bechara et al.”
BackgroundNeural responses during anticipation of a primary taste reward
O'Doherty, J. P., Deichmann, R., Critchley, H. D., & Dolan, R. J. (2002) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/s0896-6273(02)00603-7 · Cited by 1,076 · see citing works
Optimized EPI for fMRI studies of the orbitofrontal cortex
Deichmann, R., Gottfried, J. A., Hutton, C., & Turner, R. (2003) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/s1053-8119(03)00073-9 · Cited by 821 · see citing works
O'Doherty, J., Critchley, H., Deichmann, R., & Dolan, R. J. (2003) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.23-21-07931.2003 · Cited by 611 · see citing works
Elliott, R., Newman, J. L., Longe, O. A., & Deakin, J. F. W. (2003) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.23-01-00303.2003 · Cited by 512 · see citing works
Gottfried, J. A., Deichmann, R., Winston, J. S., & Dolan, R. J. (2002) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.22-24-10819.2002 · Cited by 355 · see citing works
Cusack, R., & Papadakis, N. G. (2002) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1006/nimg.2002.1092 · Cited by 289 · see citing works
Compensation of susceptibility-induced bold sensitivity losses in echo-planar fMRI imaging
Deichmann, R., Josephs, O., Hutton, C., Corfield, D. R., & Turner, R. (2002) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1006/nimg.2001.0985 · Cited by 253 · see citing works
An Evaluation of the Use of Magnetic Field Maps to Undistort Echo-Planar Images
Cusack, R., Brett, M., & Osswald, K. (2002) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1006/nimg.2002.1281 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
Optimization of static field homogeneity in human brain using diamagnetic passive shims
WILSON, J. L., Jenkinson, M., & Jezzard, P. (2002) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.10298 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Chen, N., Dickey, C. C., Yoo, S., Guttmann, C. R. G., & Panych, L. P. (2003) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/s1053-8119(03)00091-0 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
WILSON, J. L., & Jezzard, P. (2003) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.10626 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
WILSON, J. L., Jenkinson, M., & Jezzard, P. (2003) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/s1053-8119(03)00225-8 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Effect of slice orientation on reproducibility of fMRI motor activation at 3 Tesla
Gustard, S., Fadili, J. M., Williams, E., Hall, L. D., Carpenter, T. A., Brett, M., & Bullmore, E. T. (2001) · Magnetic Resonance Imaging · doi:10.1016/s0730-725x(01)00399-x · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The somatic marker hypothesis: A critical evaluation
Dunn, B. D., Dalgleish, T., & Lawrence, A. D. (2006) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.07.001 · Cited by 894 · see citing works
Widespread reductions in gray matter volume in depression
Grieve, S. M., Korgaonkar, M. S., Koslow, S. H., Gordon, E., & Williams, L. M. (2013) · NeuroImage: Clinical · doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2013.08.016 · Cited by 388 · see citing works
Diversity of the inferior frontal gyrus—A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies
Liakakis, G., Nickel, J., & Seitz, R. J. (2011) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2011.06.022 · Cited by 328 · see citing works
Cerebral processing of food-related stimuli: effects of fasting and gender
Uher, R., Treasure, J., Heining, M., Brammer, M. J., & Campbell, I. C. (2006) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2005.12.008 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Distortion correction for diffusion‐weighted MRI tractography and fMRI in the temporal lobes
Embleton, K. V., Haroon, H. A., Morris, D. M., Ralph, M. A. L., & Parker, G. J. M. (2010) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.20959 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Dynamic multi-coil shimming of the human brain at 7T
Juchem, C., Nixon, T. W., McIntyre, S., Boer, V. O., Rothman, D. L., & de Graaf, R. A. (2011) · Journal of Magnetic Resonance · doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2011.07.005 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
Schmithorst, V. J., Holland, S. K., & Plante, E. (2005) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.07.020 · Cited by 149 · see citing works
A comparison of dual gradient‐echo and spin‐echo fMRI of the inferior temporal lobe
Halai, A. D., Welbourne, S. R., Embleton, K. V., & Parkes, L. M. (2014) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.22463 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Pan, J. W., Lo, K., & Hetherington, H. P. (2011) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.24122 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
B0 magnetic field homogeneity and shimming for in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Juchem, C., & de Graaf, R. A. (2016) · Analytical Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.ab.2016.06.003 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Dynamic shimming of the human brain at 7 T
Juchem, C., Nixon, T. W., Diduch, P., Rothman, D. L., Starewicz, P. M., & de Graaf, R. A. (2010) · Concepts in Magnetic Resonance Part B · doi:10.1002/cmr.b.20169 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Juchem, C., Nixon, T. W., McIntyre, S., Rothman, D. L., & de Graaf, R. A. (2009) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.22164 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Robust fully automated shimming of the human brain for high‐field 1H spectroscopic imaging
Hetherington, H. P., Chu, W., Gonen, O., & Pan, J. W. (2006) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.20941 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Reducing susceptibility artifacts in fMRI using volume‐selective z‐shim compensation
Du, Y. P., Dalwani, M. S., Wylie, K. P., Claus, E. D., & Tregellas, J. R. (2007) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.21150 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Combined passive and active shimming for in vivo MR spectroscopy at high magnetic fields
Juchem, C., Müller‐Bierl, B., Schick, F., Logothetis, N. K., & Pfeuffer, J. (2006) · Journal of Magnetic Resonance · doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2006.09.002 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Multicoil shimming of the mouse brain
Juchem, C., Brown, P. B., Nixon, T. W., McIntyre, S., Rothman, D. L., & de Graaf, R. A. (2011) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.22850 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Sengupta, S., Welch, E. B., Zhao, Y., Foxall, D. L., Starewicz, P. M., Anderson, A. W., Gore, J. C., & Avison, M. J. (2011) · Magnetic Resonance Imaging · doi:10.1016/j.mri.2011.01.002 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Functional magnetic resonance imaging using RASER
Goerke, U., Garwood, M., & Uǧurbil, K. (2010) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.08.011 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Stroman, P. W., Lee, A. S., Pitchers, K. K., & Andrew, R. D. (2008) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.21534 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Kivisaari, S. L., Probst, A., & Taylor, K. I. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-34342-1_19 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Basics
Minhas, A. S., & Oliver, R. (2022) · Advances in experimental medicine and biology · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-03873-0_3 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Dual echo EPI – The method of choice for fMRI in the presence of magnetic field inhomogeneities?
Schwarzbauer, C., Mildner, T., Heinke, W., Brett, M., & Deichmann, R. (2009) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.08.032 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Current trends and challenges in MRI acquisitions to investigate brain function
Sutton, B. P., Ouyang, C., Karampinos, D. C., & Miller, G. A. (2009) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.12.020 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Evaluation of active and passive shimming in magnetic resonance imaging
Wachowicz, K. (2014) · Research and Reports in Nuclear Medicine · doi:10.2147/rrnm.s46526 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Smits, M., Peeters, R. R., Hecke, P. V., & Sunaert, S. G. (2006) · Neuroradiology · doi:10.1007/s00234-006-0160-6 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Asymmetric spin‐echo (ASE) spiral improves BOLD fMRI in inhomogeneous regions
Brewer, K., Rioux, J., D’Arcy, R. C. N., Bowen, C. V., & Beyea, S. (2009) · NMR in Biomedicine · doi:10.1002/nbm.1380 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Fernandez, B., Leuchs, L., Sämann, P. G., Czisch, M., & Spoormaker, V. I. (2017) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.05.005 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Gartus, A., Geissler, A., Foki, T., Tahamtan, A. R., Pahs, G., Barth, M., Pinker, K., Trattnig, S., & Beisteiner, R. (2006) · European Radiology · doi:10.1007/s00330-006-0459-z · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Local in vivo shimming using adaptive passive shim positioning
Yang, S., Kim, H., Ghim, M.-O., Lee, B.-U., & Kim, D. (2011) · Magnetic Resonance Imaging · doi:10.1016/j.mri.2010.10.004 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Shang, Y., Simegn, G. L., Gillen, K. M., Yang, H., & Han, H. (2024) · Psychoradiology · doi:10.1093/psyrad/kkae013 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Physical and physiological consequences of passive intra-oral shimming
Österbauer, R. A., Wilson, J. L., Calvert, G. A., & Jezzard, P. (2005) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.07.006 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Cognitive control associated with irritability induction: an autobiographical recall fMRI study
Cerqueira, C. T., Almeida, J., Sato, J. R., Gorenstein, C., Gentil, V., Leite, C. C., Amaro, E., & Busatto, G. F. (2010) · Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1590/s1516-44462010000200004 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Wastling, S. J., & Barker, G. J. (2014) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.25444 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Miao, X., Paez, A. G., Rajan, S. M., Cao, D., Liu, D., Pantelyat, A. Y., Rosenthal, L. I., van Zijl, P. C. M., Bassett, S. S., Yousem, D. M., et al. (2021) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2021.723441 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Chemical shift imaging in the head and neck at 3T: Initial results
Yeung, D. K. W., Fong, K., Chan, Q., & King, A. D. (2010) · Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging · doi:10.1002/jmri.22365 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Wang, W., Wang, Y., Wang, Q., Cheng, J., Qu, H., Wang, C., Niu, C., & Liu, F. (2023) · Medical Physics · doi:10.1002/mp.16538 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Hybrid active and passive local shimming (HAPLS) for two‐region MRI
Ren, Z. H., Stockmann, J., Dewdney, A., & Lee, R. F. (2022) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.29542 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Schneider, R., Boada, F. E., Haueisen, J., & Pfeuffer, J. (2014) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.25461 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Kivisaari, S. L., Probst, A., & Taylor, K. I. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-41874-8_24 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Neurochemical modulation of orbitofrontal cortex function
Robbins, T. W., Clark, L., Clarke, H. F., & Roberts, A. (2006) · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198565741.003.0016 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Yoo, S., Song, H., Kim, S., Shim, W. M., & Lee, S. (2020) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117265 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Carmichael, D. W. (2009) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-540-87919-0_10 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Brunheim, S., Johst, S., Pfaffenrot, V., Maderwald, S., Quick, H. H., & Poser, B. A. (2017) · Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics Biology and Medicine · doi:10.1007/s10334-017-0641-0 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Dymerska, B., Cardoso, P. L., Bachrátá, B., Fischmeister, F. P. S., Matt, E., Beisteiner, R., Trattnig, S., & Robinson, S. (2019) · Investigative Radiology · doi:10.1097/rli.0000000000000546 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Assessment of spatial BOLD sensitivity variations in fMRI using gradient-echo field maps
Mannfolk, P., Wirestam, R., Nilsson, M., van Westen, D., Ståhlberg, F., & Olsrud, J. (2010) · Magnetic Resonance Imaging · doi:10.1016/j.mri.2010.05.003 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Eisen, C. K., Liebig, P. A., Herrler, J., Ritter, D., Lévy, S., Uder, M., Nagel, A. M., & Grodzki, D. M. (2024) · Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics Biology and Medicine · doi:10.1007/s10334-024-01149-8 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Multiband accelerated 2D EPI for multi‐echo brain QSM at 3 T
Kiersnowski, O. C., Fuchs, P., Wastling, S. J., Nassar, J., Thornton, J. S., & Shmueli, K. (2024) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.30267 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Carmichael, D. W. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-07121-8_10 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Miyapuram, K. P., Österbauer, R. A., Schultz, W., Schwarzbauer, C., & Tobler, P. N. (2009) · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Jayatilake, M. L., Sica, C. T., Elyan, R., & Karunanayaka, P. (2020) · Journal of Electromagnetic Analysis and Application · doi:10.4236/jemaa.2020.128010 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Zhuo, Y., & Sutton, B. P. (2009) · Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) · doi:10.1109/iembs.2009.5333815 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Sexual Responses in the Human Spinal Cord
Kozyrev, N. (2009)
RF Pulse Designs for Signal Recovery in T2*-Weighted Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Yip, C. (2007) · Deep Blue (University of Michigan)
Current Awareness in NMR in Biomedicine
John Wiley & Sons, L. (2005) · NMR in Biomedicine · doi:10.1002/nbm.976
Imaging in the Presence of Magnetic Field Inhomogeneities
Sutton, B. P., & Lam, F. (2022) · Advances in magnetic resonance technology and applications · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-822726-8.00023-3
Chen, H. S., Wang, Y., Wang, W., Wang, H., Yang, W., Wei, S., Xu, C., Chen, S., Liu, J. Z., Sun, J. F., et al. (2026) · NMR in Biomedicine · doi:10.1002/nbm.70298
Yang, Y., Liu, Z., Hong, H., Zhang, W., & Ren, Z. H. (2026) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.70535
Multi-modal imaging of brain networks subserving speech comprehension
Halai, A. D. (2013) · Research Explorer (The University of Manchester)
- Authors
- Cusack, R., Russell, B., Cox, S. M. L., De Panfilis, C., Schwarzbauer, C., & Ansorge, R.
- Affiliations
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (GB)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Cusack, Rhodri
- Venue
- NeuroImage
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-01
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 82-91
- ISSN
- 1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2078240820
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 3.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research
- Keywords
- passive shimming, magnetic field inhomogeneity, susceptibility artifacts, pyrolytic graphite, BOLD sensitivity, orbitofrontal cortex, inferior frontal cortex, functional MRI, field maps
- MeSH terms
- Carbon, Frontal Lobe, Graphite, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Mouth Protectors, Oxygen, Palate, Paranasal Sinuses, Sensitivity and Specificity, Artifacts, Echo-Planar Imaging
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
