Diffusion-weighted 3D multislab echo planar imaging for high signal-to-noise ratio efficiency and isotropic image resolution.

TLDR: To acquire isotropic high‐resolution, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) efficient, 3D encoded diffusion‐weighted MRI data, a novel approach is proposed that combines radiolysis with high-resolution 3D image analysis.

Abstract: Purpose To acquire isotropic high-resolution, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) efficient, 3D encoded diffusion-weighted MRI data. Methods Multiple Fourier encoded slabs were combined into one full volume, using a generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA) accelerated diffusion-weighted 3D multislab echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence with 2D phase navigation and in-plane motion correction. Results Reconstructed data with 1.5-mm3 nominal resolution is presented and shown under the influence of motion and with variable slab thicknesses. The SNR efficiency between diffusion-weighted 3D multislab EPI and DW 2D ss-EPI is compared. Finally, a 1.3-mm3 full brain scan with 45 diffusion directions is presented. Conclusions Diffusion-weighted 3D multislab EPI has been presented as an alternative sequence for high-resolution and high-SNR full brain coverage diffusion studies. Compared with the gold standard 2D diffusion-weighted single-shot Echo Planar Imaging, the SNR efficiency is significantly higher. Magn Reson Med 70:1507–1514, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.