A setup for concurrent functional MRI and intrinsic
optical imaging spectroscopy inside a 14.1 T animal scanner was developed,
based on a magnetic field proof camera and optics. fMRI and optical imaging
were simultaneously performed on rats with electrical forepaw stimulation,
resulting in excellent signals for both BOLD and optical reflectance in two
wavelengths (red and green). Only minor interactions between both modalities were
observed. The combination of these two techniques can be used to investigate
the origins of the BOLD effect and to open up novel ways of exploring brain
function.
