IRES: Self-Calibrated Parallel Imaging with No Loss of Net Acceleration

Ek Tsoon Tan¹, Roger C. Grimm¹, Stephen J. Riederer¹

In self-calibrated parallel imaging, the center of k-space is densely sampled, which reduces net acceleration. This reduction worsens at high acceleration factors. The concept of inversion recovery with embedded self-calibration (IRES) is to perform calibration acquisitions within delay intervals of inversion-prepared gradient echo with minimal perturbation to magnetization recovery. This results in no reduction in net acceleration due to self-calibration. It is shown in in-vivo brain imaging and in a phantom that at 2D accelerations of four, IRES provides (i) time savings at comparable image quality compared to standard self-calibration; or (ii) higher image quality at the same scan time.