Functional MRI is an exciting but complex imaging modality that is being used with increasing frequency in anaesthesia and pain research. Understanding and interpreting studies requires some knowledge of the fundamentals of fMRI, together with the nuances of study design and statistical analysis. Dr Kyle Pattinson, Consultant Anaesthetist at the John Radcliffe in Oxford and MRC clinician scientist fellow talks us through the basics of fMRI, some of its uses (both potential and realised) and the pitfalls associated with the analysis of multiple repeat tests.