AbstractPurposeTo introduce a novel magnetic-resonance fingerprinting (MRF) framework with single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) readout to simultaneously estimate tissue T2, T1 and T2*, and integrate B1 correction.MethodsSpin-echo EPI is combined with gradient-echo EPI to achieve T2 estimation as well as T1 and T2* quantification. In the dictionary matching step, the GE-EPI data segment provides estimates of tissue T1 and T2* with additional B1 information, which are then incorporated into the T2-matching step that uses the SE-EPI data segment. In this way, biases in T2 and T2* estimates do not affect each other.ResultsAn excellent correspondence was found between our T1, T2, and T2* estimates and results obtained from standard approaches in both phantom and human scans. In the phantom scan, a linear relationship with R2>0.96 was found for all parameter estimates. The maximum error in the T2 estimate was found to be below 6%. In the in-vivo scan, similar contrast was noted between MRF and standard approaches, and values found in a small region of interest (ROI) located in the grey matter (GM) were in line with previous measurements (T2MRF=88±7ms vs T2Ref=89±11ms, T1MRF=1153±154ms vs T1Ref=1122±52ms, T2*MRF=56±4ms vs T2*Ref=53±3ms).ConclusionAdding a spin echo data segment to EPI based MRF allows accurate and robust measurements of T2, T1 and T2* relaxation times. This MRF framework is easier to implement than spiral-based MRF. It doesn’t suffer from undersampling artifacts and seems to require a smaller dictionary size that can fasten the reconstruction process.
Accelerated spin‐echo functional MRI using multisection excitation by simultaneous spin‐echo interleaving (MESSI) with complex‐encoded generalized slice dithered enhanced resolution (cgSlider) simultaneous multislice echo‐planar imaging
