Statistical parametric mapping

Statistical parametric mapping or SPM is a statistical technique created by Karl Friston for examining differences in brain activity recorded during functional neuroimaging experiments using neuroimaging technologies such as fMRI or PET. It may also refer to a specific piece of software created by the Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience (part of University College London) to carry out such analyses. Statistical parametric mapping or SPM is a statistical technique created by Karl Friston for examining differences in brain activity recorded during functional neuroimaging experiments using neuroimaging technologies such as fMRI or PET. It may also refer to a specific piece of software created by the Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience (part of University College London) to carry out such analyses. Functional neuroimaging, one type of 'brain scanning', involves the measurement of brain activity. The specific technique used to measure brain activity depends on the imaging technology being used (see fMRI and PET for examples). Regardless of which technology is used, the scanner produces a 'map' of the area being scanned that is represented as voxels. Each voxel typically represents the activity of a particular coordinate in three-dimensional space. The exact size of a voxel will vary depending on the technology used, although fMRI voxels typically represent a volume of 27 mm3 (a cube with 3mm length sides).