Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the spinal cord (spinal fMRI) is an adaptation of the fMRI method that has been developed for use in the brain (1). Although the basic principles underlying the methods are the same, spinal fMRI requires a number of specific adaptations to accommodate the periodic motion of the spinal cord, the small cross-sectional dimensions (roughly 8 mm x 15 mm at the largest region), the length (~45 cm in adult humans), and the fact that the magnetic field that is used for MRI varies with position in the spinal cord because of magnetic susceptibility differences between bone and tissues. Spinal fMRI has been used to produce maps of neuronal activity at most levels of the spinal cord in response to various stimuli, such as touch, vibration, and thermal changes, and with motor tasks. Research applications of spinal fMRI to date include studies of normal sensory and motor function, and studies of the effects of trauma to the spinal cord (1-3) and multiple sclerosis (4).