Simultaneous multislice diffusion imaging using navigator-free multishot spiral acquisitions.

Purpose: This work aims to raise a novel design for navigator-free multiband (MB) multishot uniform-density spiral (UDS) acquisition and reconstruction, and to demonstrate its utility for high-efficiency, high-resolution diffusion imaging.

Theory and methods: Our design focuses on the acquisition and reconstruction of navigator-free MB multishot UDS diffusion imaging. For acquisition, radiofrequency-pulse encoding was used to achieve controlled aliasing in parallel imaging in MB imaging. For reconstruction, a new algorithm named slice-projection onto convex sets-enhanced inherent correction of phase errors (slice-POCS-ICE) was proposed to simultaneously estimate diffusion-weighted images and intershot phase variations for each slice. The efficacy of the proposed methods was evaluated in both numerical simulation and in vivo experiments.

Results: In both numerical simulation and in vivo experiments, slice-POCS-ICE estimated phase variations more precisely and provided results with better image quality than other methods. The intershot phase variations and MB slice aliasing artifacts were simultaneously resolved using the proposed slice-POCS-ICE algorithm.

Conclusion: The proposed navigator-free MB multishot UDS acquisition and reconstruction method is an effective solution for high-efficiency, high-resolution diffusion imaging.