Announcements 2006

Nov 03, 2006 - New November Release for Exam room and parking booking

New November Release for Exam room and parking booking has been implemented.
Here are highlights of the basic changes: Click here to read more

Oct 30, 2006 - New "Brain_Perfusion" protocols are available !

Attention: users who are currently or will be using the "Brain_perfusion" protocol

The "Brain_perfusion" protocol is obsolete. We now have two new protocols for measuring whole brain perfusion using arterial spin labeling (ASL): 1. Brain_perfusion_4S; 2. Brain_perfusion_SS. The new protocols are designed to give a more robust performance based on our experience with the old protocol. A summary of the new protocols and their recommended use can be found here.

For existing studies, we recommend switching to the new protocols unless it is critical to maintain the same protocol throughout the study (e.g. comparison between populations or longitudinal studies). If you wish to continue using the "Brain_perfusion" protocol, please contact us for an optional data reconstruction program. The optional program utilizes SENSE reconstruction algorithms and takes significantly longer to reconstruct data (> 4 hours), but will provide more robust perfusion images than the regular "gr" reconstruction.

If you would like some help in choosing a protocol suitable for your study, please contact Dr. Joanna Perthen (jperthen@ucsd.edu).

Oct 06, 2006 - Problem Report

We have now added a problem reporting and status check system to the web schedule program. Web Schedule Link

This allows you to easily check if there are scanner problems, and also to report problems you encounter while scanning. After you log in to the web schedule program you have two choices: you can continue on to the scheduler, as before, or you can now view the status log or report a problem by following the information provided there. Our goal is that ALL problems, from broken button boxes or missing cables to complete scanner failure, should be reported. This way every investigator can check the log ahead of time to verify that all the equipment will be working for their study. For this to work, we depend on all the scanner operators to diligently report all problems.

Reporting a problem. All users can report a problem. When reporting a problem you are asked to classify it as: "Non-critical", if it is just a question or to report a successful call to GECARES; "Serious" if the problem needs immediate attention but the system is still operating; "Critical" if normal fMRI imaging is not possible. The field for describing the problem is limited to about 500 words. For a scanner problem after hours, the scanner operator should first contact GECARES as taught in the training course. In many cases the GE people will be able to help you fix the problem. If that happens, please file a report on the website classified as "non-critical" so that we will have a record of what the problem was and how it was fixed. If they are not able to fix the problem, then the classification should be "serious" or "critical". In either case, if GECARES was called, be sure to include the problem number they provide.

Fixing the problem. Whenever a problem is reported, emails will be automatically sent to people in the center so that we can deal with it. Center personnel will send warning messages to other investigators with scheduled time to alert them to the existence of the problem. If you get such a warning you can then decide whether the problem critically affects your study, and whether you want to cancel your time slot. You can check on progress in fixing the problem through the status log on the website. When first reported the problem is listed as "open", then changed to "in progress" when center people are working on it, and finally "closed" when the problem is fixed. If you reported a particular problem, and later fixed it yourself, you can file an update for that problem and change the category from "open" to "closed" and describe the nature of the fix (maximum of about 1000 words). (Note that if you did not originally report the problem you will not be able to change the status.) In addition, email notices will be sent to investigators when the problem is fixed.