Brain scans

brain lesion

experimentally destroys brain tissue to study behavior

EEG (electroencephalogram)

recording of electrical waves on brain’s surface

PET scan (position emission tomography)

-observe metabolic processes in body and brain — how cells process glucose

-patient ingests radioactive glucose

-shows which parts of brain are active

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

-magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images

-differentiates tissue types

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

-tracks blood flow and oxygen levels over time (not necessarily long) to map active brain regions

-metabolic activity — not at a cellular level like PET

-brain structure and function

CT/CAT scan (computerized tomography)

-combines series of x-ray images to create cross-sectional images of the body (bones) and brain

would be preferred for brain if:

-fracture

-bleeding

-time constraint

-metal in body