Magnetic resonance imaging

Using MRI to conduct barrier-breaking research

BIC's Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory features a suite of MRI scanners and related tools to support comprehensive MRI-related research.

7 Tesla MRI scanner

Scanners available within BIC's Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory include:


In addition, the following MRIL equipment supports MRI studies:

  • fMRI stimuli, movies, or TV shows can be presented using a Resonance Technologies LCD screen. Responses are recorded through a Psychology Software Tools Celeritas fiber optic response system.
  • Three Resoundant systems for MR elastography experiments.
  • Eye tracking and physiological monitoring equipment for simultaneous use in the human MRI scanners.
  • Two BrainProducts MRI-compatible EEG systems: 32-channel systems (can be stacked to 64); short and long lead caps enabling a trade-off between fMRI imaging quality versus EEG data quality.
  • Avotec Silent Scan: MRI-compatible headphone system enables the subjects in the scanner to hear movies during scanning.

A fully supplied machine and electronics lab is available for coil fabrication, testing, and more. An electronics lab, including a 4-channel network analyzer, oscilloscope, and other electronics tools is available.

MRI-related research images captured through BIC scanners

  • DTI of octopus arm
  • Adult bearded dragon scan
  • Piglet brain
  • Rag leg muscle scan
  • Tomato scan
  • Tomato in 9.4 Tesla MRI
7T axial and sagittal brain scans

Crediting the Biomedical Imaging Center

The Biomedical Imaging Center’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory asks its users to add the following statement to the acknowledgements section of their papers to track facilities use and impact:

“This work was conducted in part at the Biomedical Imaging Center of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC-BI-BIC).”