A low-cost and versatile system for projecting wide-field visual stimuli within fMRI scanners.

Behav Res Methods. 2015 Jun 20;

Authors: Greco V, Frijia F, Mikellidou K, Montanaro D, Farini A, D'Uva M, Poggi P, Pucci M, Sordini A, Morrone MC, Burr DC

Abstract
We have constructed and tested a custom-made magnetic-imaging-compatible visual projection system designed to project on a very wide visual field (~80°). A standard projector was modified with a coupling lens, projecting images into the termination of an image fiber. The other termination of the fiber was placed in the 3-T scanner room with a projection lens, which projected the images relayed by the fiber onto a screen over the head coil, viewed by a participant wearing magnifying goggles. To validate the system, wide-field stimuli were presented in order to identify retinotopic visual areas. The results showed that this low-cost and versatile optical system may be a valuable tool to map visual areas in the brain that process peripheral receptive fields.

PMID: 26092392 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]