The cost of parallel imaging in functional MRI of the human brain

While the advantages of parallel acquisition techniques for echo-planar imaging (EPI) are well documented for studies affected by magnetic field inhomogeneities, this work focuses on the costs in functional MRI of brain regions without artifacts due to susceptibility effects. For a visual stimulation paradigm and relative to conventional EPI (2.9 T; TR/TE=2000/36 ms), the use of parallel acquisition at a reduction factor of 2 decreased the mean number of activated voxels by 21% at 2 x 2 x 2-mm(3) resolution (n=6) and by 15% at 3 x 3 x 3-mm(3) resolution (n=6). The loss of sensitivity reflects both a decreased signal-to-noise ratio of the native images due to a lower number of contributing gradient echoes and a decreased BOLD MRI sensitivity due to the coverage of a smaller range of TEs.     

FLASH imaging: rapid NMR imaging using low flip-angle pulses. 1986

A new method for rapid NMR imaging dubbed FLASH (fast low-angle shot) imaging is described which, for example, allows measuring times of the order of 1 s (64 × 128 pixel resolution) or 6 s (256 × 256 pixels). The technique takes advantage of excitation pukes with small hip angles eliminating the need of waiting periods in between successive experiments. It is based on the acquisition of the free induction decay in the form of a gradient echo generated by reversal of the read gradient. The entire imaging time is only given by the number of projections desired times the duration of slice selection and data acquisition. The method results in about a 100-fold reduction in measuring time without sacrificing spatial resolution. Further advantages are an optimized signal-to-noise ratio, the applicability of commercial gradient systems, and the deposition of extremely low rf power. FLASH imaging is demonstrated on phantoms, animals, and human extremities using a 2.3 T 40 cm bore magnet system. ¹H NMR images are obtained with variable relaxation time contrasts and without motional artifacts.