Sub-millimeter Diffusion Tensor Imaging using Single-Shot Spiral Acquisitions with a Large Acceleration Factor

Single-shot spiral acquisitions allow shorter TE, thus provide higher SNR compared to EPI acquisitions for DWI. However, spiral acquisitions are sensitive to field inhomogeneity. Parallel imaging techniques can be used to alleviate static B0 off-resonance effects. In this study, single-shot spiral acquisitions with a large acceleration factor of 5 or 6 were used to achieve sub-millimeter diffusion tensor imaging at 3T. The in vivo results demonstrate that the single-shot spiral sampling strategy can be adopted to achieve whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging with an in-plane resolution of 0.77×0.77mm2.