Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging

The University response to the COVID-19 continues to evolve.  We will use these blog posts as well as additional communication mechanisms that we are setting up to stay in touch with you.  Here is a summary of the current situation.

Overview

The CNI remains open, but Hua and Michael will be working remotely.  They can be reached online.  Either Laima,  Adam, or both, will be onsite to cover immediate CNI needs.

Be sure to carefully follow cleaning guidelines both before and after scanning.  We have secured adequate materials to sanitize the space for at least the next couple weeks. It is essential that we follow the protocols described at the scanner for sanitizing (see below).

Users should take advantage of protocol development time to book extra time at the beginning and end of their sessions to allow adequate time for this process without being charged.

Any updated guidance from the University in terms of closures or research restrictions will take precedence over this message.

CNI is Open

• Until further university guidance is received, CNI will remain open for research scanning.
• Researchers should follow their department guidelines regarding essential research.  For reference, the Dean of Research memo as of 3/14/2020 can be found here:  Reducing Non-Remote Laboratory Activity.
• Michael and Hua will be working remotely but available online or by phone.
• Either Laima, Adam, or both will be available onsite at CNI during normal hours.
• Contact information for all staff is posted next to the scanner console.

Follow Stanford Health Alerts Guidelines

• All researchers must follow the self-care guidelines provided at Stanford Health Alerts: Prevention & Well-Being.
• All researchers must follow the rules governing human-subject research at Stanford Health Alerts: Information for Faculty and Researchers, particularly the FAQ For Lab Researchers (Can Human Subjects and External Research Study Personnel Still Come to Campus).
  Human subjects who meet any of the following criteria are not allowed to visit Stanford Campus/CNI:
  • Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (tested positive).
  • Exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea).
  • Have recently returned from travel to locations with CDC travel restrictions.
  • Have had close contact with known cases.
  • Believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 virus.

Please also note from the DoR memo:  “Any non-essential visits should be postponed whenever possible. Non-essential research activities should be deferred if possible. New studies that have not yet started, especially those having a large population of human subjects, should also be deferred if possible.

Study teams may implement exceptions to allow for clinical trials treatments of patients with serious illnesses. Study teams may implement exceptions to allow, for example, clinical trials treatments of patients with serious illnesses, or other essential studies. Study teams should also evaluate and implement additional mitigation measures for work with immunocompromised study participants, older adults, and patients.”

Keeping CNI & You Safe

• If you or your colleagues show any symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home.
• We are counting on one another to clean prior to scanning and and to clean up after scanning.  You should allocate time for this.
• Prior to the scan:
  • Wash your hands upon entering the CNI facility and prior to coming into contact with the subject
  • Require subjects to wash their hands upon entering the facility
  • Clean all surfaces the subject may touch with disposable wipes: button boxes, squeeze, ball, coil, pads, etc, Prepare the scan table and coil with clean linens, prepare ear pads or headphones if being used with sanitary covers.
  • After coming into contact with the subject be sure to clean your hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer available in the scan room.
• After the scan:
  • Clean all surfaces the subject may have touched with disposable wipes: button boxes, squeeze, ball, coil, pads, etc.
  • Clean all work surfaces you or your colleagues might have touched with disposable wipes: scanner room door handle, keyboard, mouse, HDMI matrix switch, trigger box, etc.
  • Wash your hands prior to leaving CNI
• If using the mock scanner or testing room please use a similar process for cleaning both before and after use as for the scan and control room.
• Janitorial staff will be doing extra cleaning of commonly touched surfaces in the building.

Scheduling Extra Time for Cleaning

• Users should schedule additional blocks of 30 minutes each of Protocol Development time (uncharged) both prior to and after their normal scan session period.
• This extra time is to be used for the additional cleaning time required both before and after the scan.

Cancellations

• To remove any incentive for users to scan against contraindications we are waiving all cancellation fees.
• Please cancel scans as far in advance as possible when you know you will not be using the time so CNI staff can plan their availability.
• We ask  that everyone abide by the rule of scheduling scan time only when there is a confirmed subject available.
• As the COVID situation evolves, and hopefully comes to a good conclusion for our whole community, we will send out regular updates.  We look forward to returning to normal operations for scheduling and fees.

We count on one another to take seriously our communal responsibilities and take care of each other.  Following these guidelines is an important part of caring.

— The CNI Team

Getting Started

There have been several updates to the CNI “Getting Started” wiki page -  https://cni.stanford.edu/wiki/Getting_Started. All onboarding information for new users at CNI is contained there. Please direct new CNI users in your labs  to read the information on this page. The new updates are:

New Registration Forms for CNI orientation sessions

As of March 1, 2020, new CNI users  will be able to register for upcoming CNI Level1/Level2 orientation sessions through links on the CNI Getting Started page – https://cni.stanford.edu/wiki/Getting_Started.  (In the past it was necessary to contact the Facility Manager directly). Registration forms for upcoming sessions will be posted as the already posted ones get filled and the calendar advances. Session sizes are limited to 8 attendees.

As a reminder – anyone wishing to use the CNI facilities must complete the following steps:

1. Complete the CNI online training module on Canvas that explains key issues concerning safety and MR operation.
2. After completing the on-line training for Level 1 and Level 2 new users should register for an upcoming CNI orientation session as described above. Additionally to maintain a safe and welcoming environment at CNI users should review and sign the CNI User etiquette form when they are registering for the in-person orientation session.
3. Attendance at the CNI orientation session designates new users as Level 2 users. After attending an orientation session Stanford badges are activated for CNI and Jordan Hall access, and users’ e-mails are added the CNI users’ mailing list. After attending the CNI orientation session Level 2 operators may enter the magnet room to assist setting up the equipment, to instruct and position volunteer subjects, and to assist with any other participant related activities. Level 2 users may only operate the MRI scanner under the supervision of Level 3 users. Users can advance to Level 3 (Independent operator status) after sufficient experience at Level 2.

New training and registration forms for Urine-based testing

For  groups  doing Stanford IRB approved Urine-based testing, please review the posted training materials.  Also, please complete the required forms on the “Getting Started” page to be CLIA Certificate of Waiver compliant.

Parking

There is general parking information for visitors at Stanford here – https://transportation.stanford.edu/order-or-apply/guide  – CNI specific parking information here -  https://cni.stanford.edu/wiki/Operations   Updates regarding car parking passes for research participants are:

“Q” parking passes

“Q” parking passes continue to be available for study participants. Please see the MRI Research Facility Manager, Laima Baltusis, to obtain these parking passes to distribute to your research participants as needed. You can get one or several at a time as needed for your study. There are four parking Q parking spaces and they are currently located at the top of the Oval (same side as Jordan Hall) beside the blue parking spots for the disabled. Parking at the “Q” parking spaces is enforced 24/7. Please fill out or have your participant fill out the ‘Q’ permit with the date of the appointment (month, day, and year) and leave it on the dashboard of the car.

“A” parking passes

Due to University-wide parking regulation changes, CNI will no longer be able to supply A-Parking scratchers. These can only be issued by your lab’s Administrative Associate through a departmental on-line portal. Further information is here – https://transportation.stanford.edu/parking/purchase-a-parking-permit/visitors

Please note  – The following information, at a minimum, will be required to issue any A-Parking permit: Visitor’s Name, Visitor’s E-mail, Visitor’s License Plate Number, Visitor’s License Plate Number State, Date of Permit, PTA required for payment.

Any questions – please let us know.

The CNI team

Dear CNI Users:

The new UHP system being installed at CNI is an investigational device.  IRB protocols listing CNI as a resource facility need to be modified to include the description of this new system, note that the system is an investigational device, and modify consent forms appropriately.

We have a letter from GE qualifying the safety standards the UHP system has met, and we used this letter to obtain an approved modification of the CNI IRB protocol.  Having gone through this stage, we anticipate that your IRB protocol modifications will not need a substantive review.

To see a complete description of the steps required and suggested language. click on modification information on the CNI wiki.
(https://cni.stanford.edu/wiki/IRB)

The CNI Team

Service center charges are closely monitored and approved by Stanford’s Research Administration Policy and Compliance (RAPC) staff.  The principles of rate setting are mainly that the service center does not make or lose much money in any given year.  The CNI charges are also reviewed by our Advisory Board.  Our expenses include the staff salaries, scanner maintenance, supplies, and scanner equipment charges.  For example, the costs of the coils and upgrade will be paid by user fees over the next many years.  These rates are monitored throughout the year by RAPC and the Board, which is why rates were significantly reduced over the few months to make sure we stayed within compliance.

After careful consideration and review of a five-year-budget plan with RAPC staff and the CNI Advisory Board, the CNI hourly scan rates effective March 1, 2020 will be:

New hourly scan rates effective March 1, 2020

8:00AM to 6:00PM weekdays (Monday-Friday)         - $460/hour
6:00PM to Midnight weekdays (Monday-Friday)       - $375/hour
8:00AM to Midnight weekends (Saturday-Sunday)   - $375/hour
8:00AM to Midnight University Holidays or Closure – $375/hour
Midnight to 8:00AM any day (Monday-Sunday)         - $105/hour

EEG usage charge is an additional $50/hour at any time

Future scan rate increases

Our five-year-budget plan currently includes an annual 3% raise in hourly scan rates beginning September 1, 2021.  We emphasize that this is a plan. Rate adjustments will continue to be reviewed by the Advisory Board and the RAPC, and we will need to stay within the Service Center rules.

Thank you for your understanding.

The CNI Team