Neuroimaging is increasingly important in psychology, yet psychologists can fall prey to misconceptions. We examined the presentation of key radiological techniques in 12 widely distributed contemporary psychology texts. Errors were common in descriptions of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). For example, PET images are generated by detecting pairs of photons, not the direct measurement of positrons. Similarly, many authors omit the need for a radio frequency pulse in MRI, implying that the technique simply relies on the application of a magnetic field. Misconceptions should be addressed in an attempt to reduce levels of confusion and maximise the contribution of neuroimaging data to psychological theorising.
Design, simulation, and test of surface and volume radio frequency coils for 13C magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy
