Self-navigated 3D Diffusion MRI using Simultaneous Multislab with multiband blipped-CAIPI
Presented During:
Friday, June 27, 2025: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Room:
M4 (Mezzanine Level)
Poster No:
1919
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Yi Xiao1, Wen Zhong1, Ziyu Li2, Xin Shao1, Yuancheng Jiang1, Wenchuan Wu2, Karla Miller2, Hua Guo1
Institutions:
1Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 2Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
First Author:
Yi Xiao
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Co-Author(s):
Wen Zhong
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Ziyu Li
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom
Xin Shao
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Yuancheng Jiang
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Wenchuan Wu
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom
Karla Miller
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom
Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom
Hua Guo
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Center for Biomedical Imaging Research, School of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Beijing, China
Introduction:
High-resolution diffusion imaging can help depict small structures and complex fiber architectures. The resolution of 2D acquisitions is limited by SNR, particularly when using diffusion encoding. Additionally, the long TR required for full brain coverage, due to the large number of slices, results in low SNR efficiency. Simultaneous multislice imaging (SMS) (Setsompop, 2012) is widely used in 2D diffusion imaging to improve acquisition efficiency. As an alternative, 3D multislab (Engström, 2013; Frost, 2014; Wu, 2016) acquisition divides FOV into multiple slabs and achieve Fourier encoding along slice direction within each slab. Simultaneous multi-slab imaging (SMSlab) (Dai, 2021; Liu, 2023; Zhang, 2023) integrates SMS and 3D multislab techniques, exciting multiple 3D slabs simultaneously to increase the spatial coverage along the slice direction without extending the TR.
SMSlab has shown significant potential for achieving optimal SNR efficiency (TR=1-2s) in high resolution DWI (Liu, 2023; Zhang, 2023). However, the acquisition of an external navigator to correct for the inter-shot phase variations accounts for approximately 30% of the total acquisition time, which may compromise SNR efficiency due to prolonged TR. Inspired by a recently proposed self-navigated 3D multislab DWI (Li, 2024), we incorporated the kz-blip sampling technique into our SMSlab framework and proposed self-navigated 3D SMSlab DWI using blipped-CAIPI in the multiband dimension.
SMSlab has shown significant potential for achieving optimal SNR efficiency (TR=1-2s) in high resolution DWI (Liu, 2023; Zhang, 2023). However, the acquisition of an external navigator to correct for the inter-shot phase variations accounts for approximately 30% of the total acquisition time, which may compromise SNR efficiency due to prolonged TR. Inspired by a recently proposed self-navigated 3D multislab DWI (Li, 2024), we incorporated the kz-blip sampling technique into our SMSlab framework and proposed self-navigated 3D SMSlab DWI using blipped-CAIPI in the multiband dimension.
Methods:
Sequence
For self-navigated 3D DWI, kz-blip sampling is used instead of traditional straight-line kz sampling (Fig. 1b). The kz-blip intersects with the central kz=0, providing signals to extract a 2D phase map for each shot.
Following the trajectory proposed by Li et al. (Li, 2024), we incorporate this sampling strategy into our blipped-CAIPI SMSlab (Fig. 1a). Specifically, each shot traverses multiple kz and intersects the central kz=0, yielding multiple intersection points (referred to as "self-navigation points"). These points are used to reconstruct a fully sampled kz=0 plane for both km dimensions, thereby providing phase information. Note that we use 4D k-space, with km representing the multiband dimension, to interpret signal encoding (Liu, 2023).
Image reconstruction
We developed a multiband-specific GRAPPA algorithm to separate the simultaneous slabs. The shot-to-shot phase is estimated from the kz=0 plane of separated slabs by a structured low-rank (SLR) reconstruction. The subsequent reconstruction is performed separately for each slab in accordance with previous research (Liu, 2023; Li, 2024). We used CPEN (Zhang, 2022) to correct slab boundary artifacts in this study.
In-vivo experiments
In-vivo data were acquired on Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T MR scanner with a 64-channel head-neck coil. Self-navigated SMSlab with a 2D SMS navigator (serving as a phase reference) and Cartesian SMSlab with a 2D SMS navigator were compared. The acquisition parameters are: 10 slices/slab with 20% oversampling, 12 kz encoding, FOV = 224×224 mm2, resolution = 1.1×1.1×1.1 mm³, b-value = 1000 s/mm², TE1/TE2/TR=73/178/2000ms, Ry=3 along ky, MB=2, 14 slabs for a whole brain coverage. A 2D single-shot EPI sequence with the same ESP as SMSlab was acquired for calibration data.
For self-navigated 3D DWI, kz-blip sampling is used instead of traditional straight-line kz sampling (Fig. 1b). The kz-blip intersects with the central kz=0, providing signals to extract a 2D phase map for each shot.
Following the trajectory proposed by Li et al. (Li, 2024), we incorporate this sampling strategy into our blipped-CAIPI SMSlab (Fig. 1a). Specifically, each shot traverses multiple kz and intersects the central kz=0, yielding multiple intersection points (referred to as "self-navigation points"). These points are used to reconstruct a fully sampled kz=0 plane for both km dimensions, thereby providing phase information. Note that we use 4D k-space, with km representing the multiband dimension, to interpret signal encoding (Liu, 2023).
Image reconstruction
We developed a multiband-specific GRAPPA algorithm to separate the simultaneous slabs. The shot-to-shot phase is estimated from the kz=0 plane of separated slabs by a structured low-rank (SLR) reconstruction. The subsequent reconstruction is performed separately for each slab in accordance with previous research (Liu, 2023; Li, 2024). We used CPEN (Zhang, 2022) to correct slab boundary artifacts in this study.
In-vivo experiments
In-vivo data were acquired on Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T MR scanner with a 64-channel head-neck coil. Self-navigated SMSlab with a 2D SMS navigator (serving as a phase reference) and Cartesian SMSlab with a 2D SMS navigator were compared. The acquisition parameters are: 10 slices/slab with 20% oversampling, 12 kz encoding, FOV = 224×224 mm2, resolution = 1.1×1.1×1.1 mm³, b-value = 1000 s/mm², TE1/TE2/TR=73/178/2000ms, Ry=3 along ky, MB=2, 14 slabs for a whole brain coverage. A 2D single-shot EPI sequence with the same ESP as SMSlab was acquired for calibration data.
·Fig 1 The self-navigated SMSlab DWI sequence with blipped-CAIPI and the sampling trajectory. 4D k-space is used for signal description.
Results:
Figure 2 shows the representative images from 3 diffusion directions and colored fractional anisotropy (FA) maps for one slice. The SLR-phase provides reliable reconstruction for the kz-blip sampling. The Cartesian sampling serves as the diffusion image reference, while the navigator-phase serves as the phase reference for reconstruction. The SLR method provides images which closely resemble those reconstructed with navigators.
·Fig 2. SMSlab DWI reconstruction from three diffusion directions and colored FA maps. Cartesian sampling, kz-blip sampling reconstructed with navigator and with SLR phase are shown.
Conclusions:
Self-navigated SMSlab with kz-blip and multiband blipped-CAIPI sampling can be successfully reconstructed without the need of explicit navigator acquisitions. This technique holds the potential to enable SNR-efficient high-resolution 3D diffusion imaging.
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Diffusion MRI Modeling and Analysis 2
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
Diffusion MRI 1
Keywords:
Acquisition
MRI
MRI PHYSICS
Neurological
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2. Engström, M. (2013). Diffusion-weighted 3D multislab echo planar imaging for high signal-to-noise ratio efficiency and isotropic image resolution. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 70(6), 1507-1514.
3. Frost, R. (2014). 3D Multi-slab diffusion-weighted readout-segmented EPI with real-time cardiac-reordered k-space acquisition. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 72(6), 1565-1579.
4. Li, Z. (2024). Self-navigated 3D diffusion MRI using an optimized CAIPI sampling and structured low-rank reconstruction estimated navigator. IEEE transactions on medical imaging, 1.
5. Liu, S. (2023). Three‐dimensional diffusion MRI using simultaneous multislab with blipped‐CAIPI in a 4D k‐space framework. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 90(3), 978-994.
6. Setsompop, K. (2012). Blipped-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging for simultaneous multislice echo planar imaging with reduced g-factor penalty. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 67(5), 1210-1224.
7. Wu, W. (2016). High-resolution diffusion MRI at 7T using a three-dimensional multi-slab acquisition. NeuroImage, 143, 1-14.
8. Zhang, J. (2022). Slab boundary artifact correction in multislab imaging using convolutional-neural-network-enabled inversion for slab profile encoding. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 87(3), 1546-1560.
9. Zhang, J. (2023). Hybrid-space reconstruction with add-on distortion correction for simultaneous multi-slab diffusion MRI. arXiv preprint arXiv:2303.16442.