University of Florida Movement Disorders Center
The University of Florida Movement Disorders Center (UFMDC) was established at the Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute in July 2002, to bring together UF doctors and researchers with special expertise in Parkinson's disease, tremors, dystonia and other movement disorders. The UFMDC is a National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence, a Tyler's Hope Center for Comprehensive Dystonia Care and a National Ataxia Foundation Center of Excellence.
  • More About the UFMDC
    • MDC Directors
    UFMDC Directors: Clinical Director, Dr Rodriguez, and Center Co-Directors Drs. Fernandez, Okun and Foote

    UFMDC News and Blog

    FGATIR – New imaging method for visualizing DBS targets developed at UF

    Filed under: research — Tags: , , , — Chuck Jacobson on June 24, 2009

    We have recently developed and employed a Fast Gray Matter Acquisition T1 Inversion Recovery (FGATIR – pronounced F-gator) 3T MRI sequence to more reliably visualize the structures targeted in deep brain stimulation. You can see comparative screenshots of the FGATIR vs T1 and T2 FLAIR on the FGATIR page.

    FGATIR

    Coronal images of subcortical structures in the A) T1-w 3D MP-RAGE, B) T2-w 3D FLAIR, C) T1-w FGATIR, and a Sagittal image D) T1-w FGATIR with deformable atlas contours overlaid. The contour colors for the deformable atlas are (from most anterior to most posterior): striatum (blue), GPe (green), anterior commissure (black), GPi (red), optic tract (yellow), thalamus (green), various VL thalamic nuclei (green), STN (red), and SNr (black).

    Learn more about Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.

    Medicine - Our physicians see dozens of patients each week in the UF Movement Disorders Clinic.

    Surgery - University of Florida neurosurgeons use deep brain stimulation and other techniques to treat patients with Parkinson's Disease and other movement disorders

    Education - Fellows, medical students, graduate students and pre-meds learn about movement disorders while working at the UFMDC and shadowing our physicians.

    Research - Researchers from multiple disciplines work together to find new and better treatments for movement disorders while looking for causes and cures.

    Why go to the University of Florida for your Parkinson's or Movement Disorders surgery?

    Answer: Because the UFMDC has one of the largest interdisciplinary teams in the world dedicated to making sure your deep brain stimulation device is placed correctly.

    You will see a fellowship trained movement disorders neurologist, a fellowship trained movement disorders neurosurgeon, and you will receive the best possible medical optimization. Additionally, you will have access to a complete interdisciplinary team of experts in every area (speech, voice, walking, balance, memory, depression/anxiety disorders, rehabilitation, driving, occupational therapy, etc.) who specialize in the care of Parkinson's and Movement Disorder Patients.

    We will ensure you are the right candidate, and discuss with you in detail what symptoms we think you can expect to improve with a deep brain stimulation surgical therapy. Your case will be discussed in detail with the interdisciplinary team prior to any surgical intervention. In addition we will provide a top-notch operating room experience with a neurologist, microelectrode multiple pass mapping, and careful imaging and guidance for the proper placement of your device. After it is implanted you will have full access to a dedicated staff for programming and followup of your medication and DBS needs. Should you have any problems we are always available to help you.

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