Patent ID: 8659294

Claim:
A method for producing an image indicative of neuronal activation associated with the motion performed by a subject, with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the steps comprising: A) acquiring, with the MRI system, dynamic image data from a slice location in the subject; B) acquiring, with the MRI system, functional image data from a functional slice location in the subject; C) repeating steps A) and B), wherein functional image data is acquired at successively different functional slice locations during each repetition of step B); D) reconstructing, from the dynamic image data acquired in steps A) and C), a series of dynamic images that depicts motion of at least one anatomical feature of the subject that occurred substantially simultaneously with the acquisition of the functional image data in steps B) and C); E) reconstructing, from the functional image data acquired in steps B) and C), a series of functional images that is indicative of neuronal activity in the subject; F) analyzing the series of dynamic images in order to determine time points at which the subject moved the at least one anatomical feature; and G) producing an image indicative of neuronal activity in the subject that is associated with the subject performing the motion of the at least one anatomical feature by using the time points determined in step F) in order to analyze the series of functional images reconstructed in step E).