Towards distortion-free fMRI using highly accelerated parallel imaging with 32 channels at 3.0 Tesla

Abstract

Purpose: The inherent sensitivity of Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) to inhomogeneity in the static magnetic field, B0, generates image distortion and signal loss, especially at high B0. This is particularly problematic for functional MRI. Spin-echo based techniques offer a distortion free-alternative to EPI [1]. Combined high B0 and parallel imaging with high acceleration factors (R) promise increased SNR and reduced acquisition times. The aims of this study are (i) to compare parallel imaging using SENSE [2] and the spatio-temporal correlation (k-t) approach [3], combined with EPI and TSE, with non-accelerated acquisitions; and (ii) to investigate the use of a 32 element coil array for highly accelerated brain imaging.