Fig 2. (a) EPI-based images acquired with single and multiband excitations. All the images were reconstructed after the unfolding procedure for the 2-fold in-plane parallel imaging. With the use of the MB technique, the number of slices was increased to 18 (cf. 6 in the SB data). Using MB excitation with an MB factor of 3 and blipped-CAIPI, 3 simultaneously excited slices were folded together with a phase shift. After reconstruction with the 'Slice-GRAPPA' algorithm, these 3 folded slices were clearly separated. (b) Corresponding g-factor maps from the MB technique.