For Researchers
How do I apply for a study?
- Contact UBC MRI facility staff to discuss the feasibility of conducting your study, and study protocols available to you.
- Apply for UBC Ethics approval.
- Submit a MR Protocol Proposal form to the Imaging Centre Administrator, Karina Antonenko. You can perform this step while Ethics Approval is still pending.
3T MRI PROTOCOL PROPOSAL FORM (Oct 2024, Version 34)
3T MRI PROTOCOL PROPOSAL FORM FAQ (June 2021, Version 32)
Can someone help me with the technical component of my grant application?
Yes, in order to assist you with the MRI technical component of your grant application, the UBC MRI Research Centre is pleased to make a staff researcher available to collaborate with you and provide information on the imaging protocols. For assistance, please contact Laura Barlow at laura.barlow@ubc.ca or 604-822-4237.
For Participants
Can this be used as a clinical MRI requested by my doctor?
No, this will NOT be a medically indicated examination, there will be no formal review of the scans and no report will be made. The MRI scan being done is designed to answer research questions, not examine you medically. This MRI scan is not a substitute for one a doctor would order. It may not show problems that would be picked up by a medical MRI scan. However, if we believe that we have found a medical problem in your MRI scan, we will ask a doctor who is trained in the reading of MRI scans, a radiologist, to help us review the images. If the radiologist thinks that there may be an abnormality in your MRI scan that requires follow-up, we will contact you and with your permission, contact your family physician and help him or her obtain the appropriate follow-up for you. No information generated in this study will become part of your permanent medical record. However, if the study detects an abnormality in your MRI scan and further follow-up is required, then this information may become part of your record.
What do I have to do before an MRI scan?
Unless you are told specific instructions by the study coordinator, you can go through your day as usual before the MRI scan. Please be sure to wear cotton or poly blend undergarments and socks, be sure to not wear any anti-microbial fabrics or fabrics with metal fibres.
When you arrive at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, take the stairs or elevator down to the lower level, and enter the Fipke Integrated NeuroImaging Suite. In this suite you will be asked to fill out a safety screening form to determine whether it will be safe for you to have an MRI exam. An MRI Technologist will verbally ask you about your answers to this form to ensure that it will be safe for you to have an MRI scan.
Next you will be asked to change into hospital pajamas and to remove all metal objects (such as hearing aids, dentures, jewelry, watches, hairpins, and ALL piercings) from your body because these objects may be attracted to the scanner magnet with the potential risk of injury. Please remove ALL piercings and jewelry regardless of if you have been scanned before with it, the type of metal and location. Cotton/Poly blend undergarments and socks can be worn, but no athletic wear, anti-microbial fabrics or fabrics with metal fibres, as they pose a risk of burns.
What does having an MRI scan feel and sound like?
You will be positioned on the table top of the MRI scanner, which has a thick foam mattress pad to keep you comfortable. There are also leg supports and cushions to make you feel comfortable and help you to keep still. You can also have a blanket to keep warm since the room is kept cold for the scanner to work properly.
You will be given ear plugs to protect your ears. An MRI scanner can be loud so hearing protection is necessary. You can hear an example of the sounds an MRI makes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5hiFiFmV4k
You will also be given headphones so you can hear and speak to the MRI Technologist, and a call bell so that you can get the attention of the MRI Technologist if you need to. Depending on the study, you may be able to listen to music during the scan.
You will then be slid into the centre of the scanner, which has a diameter of 70cm (27.6inches).
Most MRI scans last between 30 and 60 minutes. Sometimes you will have to stay awake or interact with buttons during a scan, other times you may be able to fall asleep. It is important to keep as still as possible since movement causes images to be blurry.