Echoplanar images of rat head with and without blocking of external ear canals revealed large voxel intensity changes outside as well as inside the cranium. These are probably mechanical effects of vibrational energy originating in the tympanic membrane and coupled to other tissue compartments of the head through the auditory ossicles, basilar membrane, and cochlear round window. They are so large that even slight variations in them may distort magnetic resonance imaging measurements of neural activity and water diffusion. Awareness of that possibility may inform measures to remove or compensate for it.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.