Functional magnetic resonance imaging

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a method of brain magnetic resonance imaging. Unlike in regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which looks at the brain at rest, fMRI is conducted while the patient is performing a cognitive task, in order to identify differences in blood flow related to the cognitive task.

ME/CFS fMRI evidence

 * 2014, Brains of People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Offer Clues About Disorder
 * 2018, Brain function characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome: A task fMRI study

Cost and availability
The University of Michigan, US, current rate for 2018 is $563 per hour.

Specialized training is necessary to operate an fMRI and at this time are rarely used outside of research settings. However, it has a "small but growing role in clinical neuroimaging. It is used in pre-surgical planning to localise brain function."

Commercial use
Two companies in North America have set up lie detection services and several neuromarketing companies are using fMRI "to gain insights into consumer thought and behaviour."

Learn more

 * fMRI - How it Works and What it's Good For


 * How does fMRI brain scanning work? Alan Alda and Dr. Nancy Kanwisher, MIT
 * Marketers Should Pay Attention to fMRI