Abstract #3327

Single Shot BOLD fMRI with Signal-Loss Compensation Using Interleaved Dual-Echo Acquisition (IDEA) EPI

Benedikt A. Poser¹, Benjamin Zahneisen¹, Robert James Anderson¹, Markus Barth²,³, Victor Andrew Stenger¹

¹John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States; ²Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands; ³Erwin L Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Essen-Duisburg, Essen, Germany

Signal loss in GE-EPI is a problem that compromises the detection of BOLD activation near the air cavities, e.g. in frontal cortex and around the ear canals. The Interleaved Dual-Echo Acquisition(IDEA EPI) sequence that was recently proposed as a solution to Nyquist ghosting, is modified by incorporating a z-shim. With this we present a novel and effective method that (a) allows through-plane gradient compensation in a single shot, (b) is compatible with high-resolution fMRI and (c) remains insensitive to N/2 ghosting. The approach is evaluated using in vivo scans and breathold fMRI at 1.5x.1.5mm2 resolution; signal voids are drastically reduced.