Multi-contrast Imaging using Dual-pathway Echo-planar Imaging Sequence

Multi-contrast imaging, commonly acquired with spoiled gradient recalled echo (SPGR) in clinical routine examinations, has less-than-optimal scan efficiency1. Dual-pathway sequences, such as double-echo steady-state (DESS) and inverse double-echo steady-state (iDESS), have been developed to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and scan efficiency as compared with SPGR2. Here we propose to further combine DESS/iDESS sequences and echo-planar imaging (EPI) to enhance scan efficiency, with significant implications to temperature mapping and parametric mapping (e.g., T1-, T2-, T2*-mapping and B0-field mapping, quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM)3, 4).