Whole-Brain Multi-Parametric Molecular Imaging Using Accelerated J-Resolved Subspace 1H-MRSI

J-resolved MRSI is a powerful molecular imaging tool for measuring brain metabolites, neurotransmitters and other important biophysical parameters. The inherent SNR challenge of MRSI and prolonged scan time for multi-TE data limit the imaging resolution. This work presents a brand-new capability of whole-brain multiparametric, quantitative MRSI, by integrating a fast-scanning J-resolved MRSI sequence with SNR-efficient multi-band excitation, task-specific experiment designs, subspace imaging and optimized parameter estimation. Experimental studies and initial validation were performed to demonstrate this capability for high-resolution metabolite, neurotransmitter and metabolite T2 mapping from a single scan.