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Abstract #0413

T2- Prepared Blood-Oxygenation-Level-Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Using Single-Shot 3D Fast Gradient Echo (GRE) Sequence with Whole Brain Coverage at 7T

Jun Hua1, 2, Craig K. Jones1, 2, Qin Qin1, 2, Peter C.M. van Zijl1, 2

1Neurosection, Div. of MRI Research, Dept. of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; 2F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States


We introduce a new acquisition scheme for T2-weighted BOLD fMRI. It employs a T2-preparation module to generate the BOLD contrast, followed by a single-shot 3D fast gradient echo readout. We implemented it on 7T human scanners with whole brain coverage (2.5mm voxel, 55 slices). In fMRI experiments of simultaneous visual and sensory stimulation, this sequence showed comparable sensitivity as the conventional 2D SE-EPI, and advantages of minimal geometric distortion and signal dropouts, lower power deposition, and greater spatial coverage. This approach would be particularly useful for fMRI studies that require whole brain coverage, or focus on regions near air cavities.