Characteristics
- Spatial Resolution
- ≥2 cm
- Temporal Resolution
- ~1 ms
- Maturity
- Established
- Invasiveness
- Non-invasive
Uses magnetic field detection, no contact with patient required
- Summary
- Magnetoencephalography — detects magnetic fields from neuronal currents, typically with SQUID-based sensors
- Tags
- MagneticElectromagnetic
- Effects Involved
- NEURAL-ELECTRIC
Details
Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measures the magnetic fields generated by neuronal currents outside the head. Conventional whole-head systems use superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), which require cryogenic cooling, while newer optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) systems are cryogen-free.
MEG offers millisecond-scale temporal resolution and generally better source localization than EEG because magnetic fields are less distorted by the skull and scalp than electric potentials. Source-localized resolution can reach the millimetre range in favourable conditions, although sensor-level localization is coarser.
MEG is widely used in research and in clinical settings such as presurgical epilepsy mapping.
MEG
Literature Review
| Title | Spatial Res. | Temporal Res. | Subjects | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Reviews conventional SQUID MEG and newer OPM-MEG systems, emphasizing that OPM sensors avoid cryogenics while improving flexibility and potentially spatial resolution. | Improved vs SQUID MEG | Millisecond-scale | Humans | Reviews conventional SQUID MEG and newer OPM-MEG systems, emphasizing that OPM sensors avoid cryogenics while improving flexibility and potentially spatial resolution. |