Skip to main content
Home / Instructions for Authors

Instructions for Authors

Please make sure you have read through these instructions carefully before beginning the submission process. To contact the Journal Staff regarding a submission that is already in progress, click the "Send Manuscript Correspondence" link located under the "More Manuscript Info and Tools" header on the manuscript details screen.

Contents:

Introduction

Neurographics publishes educational and pictorial reviews pertaining to the clinical imaging, therapy, and basic science of the brain, spine, head and neck, interventional procedures, techniques in imaging and intervention, and related educational, socioeconomic, and medicolegal issues. The content of the Neurographics is determined by the Editors.

Articles published in Neurographics originate primarily through a solicitation process. Authors of exceptional educational exhibits that have been presented and reviewed at the ASNR and subspecialty annual meetings will be invited to submit a complete manuscript that encapsulates and expands upon the content of their exhibit. Other unsolicited submissions are allowed, but preference will be given to invited manuscripts. Invitation to submit does not guarantee acceptance for publication in Neurographics. Invited posters and electronic exhibits must be transformed into a formal manuscript according to the guidelines below. Manuscripts submitted in poster or slide show format will be returned to the authors for revision, without having undergone review.

Submitted manuscripts must not contain previously published material or material under consideration for publication elsewhere unless specific permission is obtained. Accepted manuscripts become the property of Neurographics and may not be republished without its consent.

All manuscripts will undergo peer review, and the Neurographics Editorial Board will then decide whether the manuscript is appropriate for publication in Neurographics . Neurographics encourages and will give preference to articles of educational value to the membership of the ASNR and to trainees in the field of neuroradiology.

Neurographics is a free online publication.

Author Responsibilities

By submitting a manuscript for publication, each author acknowledges having made a substantial contribution to the concept and design of the study and the writing of the paper, in addition to having approved the final submitted version. Each author thus acknowledges responsibility for the integrity of the manuscript, assures the originality of the paper, and guarantees that duplicate or redundant publications/submissions have not occurred. The number of authors should be limited to 10 for reviews and 5 for case reports. Justification for the inclusion of additional authors may be proposed through a written explanation of the nature of the contribution of each author.

Conflicts of interest and/or disclosure statements, if applicable, must be completed with all submissions using the appropriate electronic form in eJournalPress. Disclosure is not intended to prevent authors with potential conflicts of interest from contributing to Neurographics; rather it places on record any relationship that may exist with mentioned or competing products or firms. Disclosed information will be held in confidence during the review process and the Editors will determine the nature of any printed disclosure accompanying a published article. Authors are responsible for notifying Neurographics of financial arrangements including, but not limited to, agreements for research support (including provision of equipment or materials), speaker bureaus, consulting, or ownership interests. It is important that disclosure statements be updated promptly to reflect any new relationships that arise after the initial submission of the manuscript.

All authors should read the following instructions before submitting a manuscript to assure timely handling and review of their material. Authors should strive to present their manuscripts in a clear and logical manner. Authors are responsible for all statements made in the text.

We strongly encourage authors for whom English is not their native language to seek assistance from a colleague experienced in medical terminology and translation to ensure that the words used both accurately and clearly convey the intended meaning. Failure to do so may compromise the review of your manuscript. Because understanding and correctly displaying non-English names can be complicated, we urge our authors to review the Title Page instructions below carefully.

These instructions are based on the recommendations set forth in the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors' Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals and the AMA Manual of Style. Authors are encouraged to consult both of these publications, which contain helpful details on the construction and writing of scientific manuscripts. Stylistic variations from the guidelines in these publications reflect the individual style of Neurographics.

Duplicate/Redundant Publications

The Council of Science Editors defines redundant publication as "reporting (publishing or attempting to publish) substantially the same work more than once, without attribution of the original source(s)" (CBE Views 1996;19 (4):76-77). Characteristics of reports that are substantially similar include (a) "at least one of the authors must be common to all reports; (b) "the subject or study populations are often the same or similar"; (c) "the methodology is typically identical or nearly so"; and (d) "the results and their interpretation generally vary little, if at all."

Should any member of the Editorial Board of Neurographics become aware of the possibility of redundant/duplicate publication, the Editor-in-Chief will suspend publication until a complete review can be completed. If the article has already been published, and a violation is deemed to have occurred, the Editorial Board may issue a retraction of the article and notify other Editors and funding agencies of the violation.

Open Access

Neurographics is a free journal, meaning that articles will be freely available to all readers from the time of electronic publication. Authors reserve the right to post the final, published version of their manuscript (in PDF) on their web pages provided that a link to the article on the Neurographics web site is included, along with complete citation information and an acknowledgment that the ASNR is the copyright holder.

To ensure electronic backup and preservation of access to content in the event that the journal ceases publication, Neurographics is contracted with Portico for archival storage.

New Account Registration

To register a new account, click the "New Users: Please Register Here" link on the home page. You will be asked to enter your Last Name, Email, and Telephone Number so that the system may first determine if an account already exists for you. If the system determines you already have an account, your login name and a new, temporary password will be automatically emailed to you. If you need further assistance, please contact the Journal Staff directly.

If the system does not find an existing account in the database, you will be directed to the registration screen where you can enter in your personal information and choose a login name and password. You may log in immediately after creating your new account. You will also receive an email with your selected login information.

Modify Profile / Password

You may update your own profile information (such as address, areas of expertise, phone number, email, etc.) or your password at any time. Start by logging into your existing account. Click on the "Modify Profile/Password" link, displayed under the General Tasks near the bottom of your home screen.

Review Process

The manuscript submission and peer review process is broken down into the following steps:

  1. The Author submits a manuscript.
  2. The Editor assigns Reviewers to the manuscript.
  3. The Reviewers review the manuscript.
  4. The Editor drafts a decision to be sent to the Author.

Manuscript Requirements and Types of Manuscripts

Neurographics publishes Reviews, Case Reports, Clinical Vignettes, Case Series, and Technical Reports.

REVIEWS
Neurographics publishes educational and pictorial reviews that present a thorough introduction to, and discussion of, a topic of interest to neuroradiologists.

FULL TITLE PAGE.—The following information should appear: title of article; first name, middle initial, and last name of author(s); affiliations, grant support, and presentation in part or whole at any meeting. Identify the corresponding author and provide full mailing address, phone and FAX numbers, and e-mail address. Authors are urged to indicate exactly how they want their names to appear. Neurographics generally publishes only initials for first and middle (“given”) names and spells out last (“family”) name(s). The number of authors should be limited to 10. Justification for the inclusion of additional authors may be proposed through a written explanation of the nature of the contribution of each author. The full title page is submitted as a separate document with the file type "Author Cover Letter".

BLIND TITLE PAGE.—This includes only the manuscript title, and is the first page of the main document.

ABSTRACT.—The abstract should be a one paragraph summary of the article (not an introduction). It should not exceed 250 words.

ABBREVIATION KEY.—Please list abbreviations used within the abstract, text, legends, and tables along with their definitions, as illustrated in the following example: CBV = cerebral blood volume; FLAIR = fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, etc. Please alphabetize this list. The Abbreviation Key will appear on the first page of the printed article. The Abbreviation Key will not be factored into an article's word count. Authors are encouraged to limit the use of abbreviations whenever possible to enhance the reader's experience.

TEXT.—The text should be divided into subsections to facilitate reading the paper. An introduction and a conclusion are expected.

TABLES.—If tables and graphic material will ease the understanding of the results, include them. However, when the results can be summarized easily in a narrative form, do not use tables.

FIGURES.— Place figure legends together at the end of the main document. They may additionally be included with the figures, depending on how you submit the figures. Each figure usually contains images from a single patient, but exceptions may be made to contrast specific findings.  See below for further requirements.

REFERENCES.—Provide only the references that give essential background material or may be of interest for further reading. SEE ALSO: References section.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.—Obtaining permission to include a name in this section from the acknowledged individual is advised.

CASE REPORTS, CASE SERIES, VIGNETTES, AND TECHNICAL REPORTS
Neurographics publishes extraordinary Case Reports that have specific educational value for neuroradiologists and are accompanied by brief literature reviews. Case Series are similar to Case Reports, but consist of three or more patients with the same rare diagnosis. Neurographics also publishes Vignettes that outline the protocols and management of typical patients in rapidly-advancing areas of neuroradiology, emphasizing the clinical impact of newer radiologic techniques. Vignettes are published by invitation only, and should be cleared with the Editor-in-Chief before submission. Technical Reports demonstrate a novel method of image acquisition or processing that can assist with a specific set of diagnoses.

If you are considering submitting an unsolicited Case Report, Case Series, Vignette, or Technical Report, please send an email to ng@asnr.org explaining the content of the manuscript, and await the Editor’s response before submitting your manuscript.

FULL TITLE PAGE.—The following information should appear: title of article; first name, middle initial, and last name of author(s); affiliations, grant support, and presentation in part or whole at any meeting. Identify the corresponding author and provide full mailing address, phone and FAX numbers, and e-mail address. Authors are urged to indicate exactly how they want their names to appear. Neurographics generally publishes only initials for first and middle (“given”) names and spells out last (“family”) name(s). The number of authors should be limited to 5. Justification for the inclusion of additional authors may be proposed through a written explanation of the nature of the contribution of each author. The full title page is submitted as a separate document with the file type "Author Cover Letter".

BLIND TITLE PAGE.—This includes only the manuscript title, and is the first page of the main document.

SUMMARY.—The summary should be limited to 75 words, and should indicate why the case is of teaching value.

ABBREVIATION KEY.—Please list abbreviations used within the abstract, text, legends, and tables along with their definitions, as illustrated in the following example: CBV = cerebral blood volume; FLAIR = fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, etc. Please alphabetize this list. The Abbreviation Key will appear on the first page of the printed article. The Abbreviation Key will not be factored into an article's word count. Authors are encouraged to limit the use of abbreviations whenever possible to enhance the reader's experience.

INTRODUCTION.—Indicate briefly why this case is rare and how it is educational beyond this single case.

CASE REPORT.—Use the past tense when discussing the presentation, radiologic evaluation, and clinical progression of the patient.

DISCUSSION.— Provide educational material regarding clinical and radiologic differential diagnosis, as well as potential clinical impact.

TABLES.—Tables and graphic material should be avoided in case reports and vignettes, except in rare circumstances where the teaching value of the article will be substantially enhanced.

FIGURES.— Place figure legends together at the end of the main text document. They may additionally be included with the figures, depending on how you submit the figures. Case reports usually contain 2-4 images, including the histopathologic images.  See below for further requirements.

REFERENCES.—Provide only the references that give essential background material or may be of interest for further reading. For case reports and vignettes, the number of references should be limited to 10. SEE ALSO: References section. Electronic Format Requirements

IMPORTANT: If possible, please submit all files in production-ready formats. We cannot publish your manuscript without receiving correctly formatted files.

DOCUMENT FILES
Submit an electronic version of the manuscript as a Microsoft Word (DOC) or RTF file. Please note that abstracts should be included in your main document in addition to being posted in the space provided in your Corresponding Author Center.

  1. All text is to be double-spaced with sufficient margins, and all pages are to be numbered.
  2. Type size should be at least 12 points.
  3. Do not justify the margins.
  4. Preserve anonymity by ensuring that the authors’ names appear only on the title page (which should be a separate electronic file) and by eliminating references to institutions, affiliations, and previous work by the authors (stated as such in the manuscript).
  5. Organize the manuscript as follows: full title page (submitted as a separate file under the category "author cover letter"), blind title page (title only), abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, tables, and figure legends.
  6. Keep acronyms to a minimum. When an abbreviation is used, define it in the Abbreviation Key. Authors are encouraged to limit the amount of abbreviations whenever possible to enhance the reader's experience.
  7. For revisions, please include a cover letter detailing all changes that were made to the manuscript. You will be prompted for this letter by eJournalPress upon submitting your revision.

FIGURES AND LEGENDS

  1. Figure legends will begin with a title indicating the pertinent diagnosis or purpose of the figure.
  2. Figure parts (A,B,C...) are referenced in the legend with capital letters.
  3. Legends should be in present tense (eg, ‘T1-weighted MR image shows…’).
  4. All the figure parts from a figure may be submitted together as one image for ease of review, but each figure part will need to be separately uploaded upon manuscript revision.
  5. Legends must be double-spaced, along with the rest of the document.
  6. Figures are referenced in the manuscript at the end of a sentence (Fig 1).  Specific figure parts should NOT be referenced (Fig 1a).
  7. Figures are numbered in the order that they are cited in the text.
  8. Typically, each figure contains images from a single patient.
  9. Submit all figures in JPG or TIFF format (JPG is easier for review, but TIFF is needed upon revision).
  10. Do not include author or patient names in the filename or in the image file itself.
  11. Each image should be a separate file with the figure number indicated in the filename.
  12. Label all pertinent findings.
  13. Images should not be redundant. Use enough images to make the educational point, and avoid unnecessary figure parts.
  14. Images should be uniform in size and magnification.
  15. Sagittal projections or lateral images should be submitted with the patient facing the reader’s left.
  16. Illustrations should not have marks, circles, or numbers in the area around the image and should be free of all identifying information relative to the patient and institution.
  17. Line drawings should be professional in quality, done in black on a white background.
  18. Written permission for use of all previously published illustrations must be obtained from the copyright holder and included with submission, and the source should be referenced in the legends. Publication will not be permitted if appropriate permission is not supplied.
  19. Written permission from any person recognizable in a photo is required.

RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS:
Each figure part should be at least 1200 pixels in its maximum dimension.  This corresponds to 300 DPI for a 4-inch image. Line art should be submitted at twice this resolution.

IMAGE CROPPING:
Please review the AJNR Image Cropping Guide for requirements and examples.

COLOR IMAGES:
Color images are acceptable for publication in Neurographics. Please use color overlay sparingly and avoid glaring color combinations. If more than one color is required in a single image, use colors that are clearly distinguishable and easily labelled (e.g. blue and red rather than aqua and teal). Annotate with bright colors against a dark background, and dark colors against a bright background. Figure legends may refer to colors within the image (e.g. “red arrow”).

ELECTRONIC MODIFICATION/MANIPULATION OF IMAGE FILES:
The following global changes to improve the quality of illustrations or remove identifying information are acceptable:

  1. changing image size and resolution as detailed above
  2. globally adjusting contrast and brightness (as long as no parts of an image are completely masked by them)
  3. blocking or erasing patient/institutional/manufacturer identifiers
  4. minimally "cleaning" unwanted noise in the background
  5. aligning an image that is tilted
  6. cropping unnecessary surrounding black space

All cloning, whether done to delete or enhance a part or parts of an image is viewed as suspicious. No specific feature within an image may be enhanced, obscured, moved, removed, or introduced. Should such alterations be suspected, the images will be sent to our printer for digital analysis. We may then contact the corresponding author and ask for the original unaltered image files. Any manipulation of an image must be explained in the accompanying legend.

TABLES

  1. Each table is double-spaced and begins on a separate page without vertical or horizontal rules.
  2. Prepare tables with word processing (e.g., Microsoft Word Table feature) or spreadsheet (e.g., Microsoft Excel) software. Graphic files are not acceptable for tables.
  3. Type size is not reduced (tables may span more than one page).
  4. Each table has a short, descriptive title.
  5. Tables are numbered in the order cited in the text.
  6. Abbreviations are defined as footnotes at the bottom of each table.
  7. Tables should not duplicate data given in the text or figures.
  8. The ‘Results’ section should refer the reader to the appropriate table.

REFERENCES
The AMA style of referencing should be used for any type of manuscript submission.

  1. Section must be double-spaced.
  2. References are numbered consecutively in the order in which they appear in the text. All references must be cited in the text in superscript.
  3. Unpublished references, such as abstracts from meetings, should be avoided when possible.
  4. Online references should be used sparingly, and should include the title of the web site, the title of the individual page, the precise URL, and date of accession. Please reference only long-standing online resources that are likely to be available to readers for years after publication of the article.
  5. Citations of personal communications should appear in the ‘Discussion’ section only and should not be used to support the authors’ conclusions.
  6. Papers submitted but not yet accepted for publication should also be cited in the text (D.J. Smith, unpublished data, 1988).
  7. Inclusive page numbers (eg, 333-37) must be provided for all references.
  8. Journal names are abbreviated per Index Medicus.
  9. All authors are listed when there are three or fewer; when four or more, the first three are listed with ‘et al.’

Style and punctuation of references follow the format illustrated in the following examples:

JOURNAL ARTICLE:
Meyer JR, Androux RW, Salamon N, et al. Contrast-enhanced magnetization transfer MR of the brain: importance of precontrast images. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 1997;18:1515–21.

BOOK:
Grossman RI, Yousem DM. Neuroradiology: The Requisites. Mosby; 1994:114–16

CHAPTER IN AN EDITED BOOK:
Hudgins PA, Jacobs IN, Castillo M. MR of the neck. In: Som PM, Curtin HD, eds. Head and Neck Imaging. 3rd ed. St Louis: Mosby; 1996:545–611

ONLINE REFERENCE:
Practice guidelines and technical standards. American College of Radiology website. http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/guidelines.aspx Accessed December 26, 2010.

VIDEO FILES
Any video files to be published as links from the online article should be uploaded to eJournalPress in QuickTime (MOV) format. Please do not send DivX Video (AVI) or Windows Media Clip (MPG) files.

Submission Process

The four steps of the submission process are: Files, Manuscript Information, Validate, and Submit. The four steps each contain sub-steps that can be accessed by clicking on their respective tabs. Navigating through this "Tab View" will save any entered information each time a new tab is clicked (or the boxes "Save and Continue" and "Next" are clicked). Each step and sub-step is listed below:

  1. Files
    • Upload Files

      A screen asking for the actual file locations (via an open file dialog) will appear. After completing this screen, your files will be sent to be converted to PDF for the peer review process.

    • Remove Files

      Allows the user to remove previously uploaded files.

    • Replace Files

      Allows the user to replace any previously submitted files with another file.

    • File Type

      This tab prompts the user to choose the "file type" that corresponds to the upload document. Though the file types can vary from journal to journal, the five basic types of files are, Author Cover Letter, Article File, Figure, Table, Supplemental Material.

    • File Description

      When uploading a file type labeled "Figure", "Table", or "Supplemental Material" it is required to give a brief description of the content that is included in the file.

    • File Order

      This tab allows to user to rearrange files to be displayed at the author's discretion. This tab also gives the option to merge PDF files into a single PDF file to display to the Editor and Reviewers. Upon completion the user must check the checkbox indicating completion of the ordering and selection process.

  2. Manuscript Information
    • Title, Abstract

      It is required for the user to provide a Title for manuscript as well as a Running Title and an Abstract. The Title, Running Title, and Abstract all have word or character limits.

    • Authors

      This tab prompts the user to submit General Information about the author. The fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required, and need to be completed to continue the submission process.

    • Keywords & Subject Areas

      A screen where the author provides at subject areas of the manuscript from the list provided. If needed, the author can provide keywords for the manuscript by typing it in any boxes that might be provided.

    • Detailed Information

      This screen asks for more detailed information regarding the manuscript. Though the questions in this tab may vary from journal to journal, typical questions include "Conflict of Interest" and "Dual Publication".

    • Author Review Suggestions

      This screen allows the user to provide "suggested reviewers" to include for the revision process. The author can also provide reviewers to exclude from the revision process.

  3. Validate
    • Approve Files

      The screen allows the user to verify that the manuscript has been uploaded and converted to the PDF format correctly.

    • Approve Manuscript

      This screen provides the user with all the information gathered from the submission process. It will provide a summary of all of the data entered so far, with the option to change any of those items.

  4. Submit

    This screen is the final step of the submission process. The system will check to make sure everything is completed before the manuscript is submitted. If the manuscript is ready for submission, then there will be text that reads: "Your manuscript is ready to be submitted. Click the link below to finalize your submission." Otherwise, it will ask that you modify your submission to fulfill all of the submission requirements.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Any author conflicts of interest, potential or actual, must be disclosed at the time of manuscript submission. This includes financial and non-financial activities that readers might perceive to have influenced, or might give the appearance of potentially influencing, the content of the manuscript. Such conflicts should be disclosed in the cover letter that accompanies each manuscript submission. The Editorial Board of Neurographics reserves the right to publish these conflicts of interest along with the manuuscript.

Statement of Informed Consent

All human participants in research studies published in Neurographics must have documented informed consent to participate, unless waived by an appropriate Institutional Review Board or equivalent body. A statement affirming this should appear in any manuscript that includes human subjects.

Statement of Human and Animal Rights

Papers describing procedures involving humans or animals must include an explicit statement affirming that the procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the appropriate Institutional Review Board or equivalent body and, if any doubt is present, with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 and 2008.

Getting Help

  • Context-Sensitive Help

    If you need additional help, you can click on the help signs spread throughout the system. A help dialog will pop up with context-sensitive help.

  • Contact Journal Staff

    You may contact the Journal Staff at any time by clicking the "Send Manuscript Correspondence" link under the "More Manuscript Info and Tools" header on the manuscript details screen.

  • Login Help

    If you have forgotten or do not know your login name or password, click the "Unknown/Forgotten Password" link on the home page. You will be asked to enter either your Login Name or your First and Last Name. If a single account can be found in the database, the system will automatically and instantly send you an email with your login name and a new, temporary password. If a single account cannot be identified from the information provided, you will need to contact the Journal Staff to reset your password for you.

Manuscript Status

After you approve your manuscript, the submission process is complete. You can get the status of your manuscript via:

  1. Logging into the system with your password.
  2. Clicking on the link represented by your manuscript tracking number and abbreviated title.
  3. Clicking on the "Check Status" link at the bottom of the displayed page.

This procedure will display detailed tracking information about where your manuscript is in the submission/peer review process.

Share Content

  • Access Key
  • Free content
  • Partial Free content
  • New content
  • Open access content
  • Partial Open access content
  • Subscribed content
  • Partial Subscribed content
  • Free trial content