Purpose: We report a series of techniques to reliably eliminate artifacts in interleaved echo-planar imaging (EPI) based diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).
Methods: First, we integrate the previously reported multiplexed sensitivity encoding (MUSE) algorithm with a new adaptive Homodyne partial-Fourier reconstruction algorithm, so that images reconstructed from interleaved partial-Fourier DWI data are free from artifacts even in the presence of either (a) motion-induced k-space energy peak displacement, or (b) susceptibility field gradient induced fast phase changes. Second, we generalize the previously reported single-band MUSE framework to multiband MUSE, so that both through-plane and in-plane aliasing artifacts in multiband multishot interleaved DWI data can be effectively eliminated.
Results: The new adaptive Homodyne-MUSE reconstruction algorithm reliably produces high-quality and high-resolution DWI, eliminating residual artifacts in images reconstructed with previously reported methods. Furthermore, the generalized MUSE algorithm is compatible with multiband and high-throughput DWI.
Conclusion: The integration of the multiband and adaptive Homodyne-MUSE algorithms significantly improves the spatial-resolution, image quality, and scan throughput of interleaved DWI. We expect that the reported reconstruction framework will play an important role in enabling high-resolution DWI for both neuroscience research and clinical uses.
Keywords: artifact correction; diffusion-weighted imaging; echo-planar imaging; multiplexed sensitivity encoding.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.