Multiple Echo Diffusion Tensor Acquisition Technique (MEDITATE) Implementation on 3T Clinical Scanner

Steven Baete¹, Gene Cho¹, ², Eric E. Sigmund¹

This abstract describes the implementation of a rapid method to acquire a full diffusion tensor in on a clinical scanner. The method is named the 3D multiple modulation multiple echo diffusion tensor acquisition technique (MEDITATE). MEDITATE employs four rf-pulses and a pattern of diffusion gradients on three gradient axes to encode a train of 17 echoes with different diffusion weightings and directions. The resulting diffusion weighted signals can be used to estimate DTI parameters as demonstrated in a fibrous phantom. This sequence may be useful in clinical applications requiring time-sensitive acquisition of DTI parameters such as dynamical DTI in muscle.