Fig. 1.
Pulse sequence diagram of the rs-EPI sequence for SMC imaging. Data are acquired at two slice positions at the same time with one slice (A) generating DW-while the other slice (B) provides T2*W image contrast. Firstly, slice A is excited and DW preparation is applied. Then slice B is excited before both signals are read out simultaneously using rs-EPI with a variable amplitude encoding gradient in the readout (GRO) direction (labelled with arrows) and a blipped phase-encoding gradient (GPE). A blipped-CAIPIRINHA gradient scheme along the slice-select (Gslice) direction is used in conjunction with receiver phase modulation to shift the T2*W image by half a FOV in the phase-encoding direction. Finally, an RF refocusing pulse is applied to slice A only to generate a 2D navigator signal for phase correction. Note that a binomial water-excitation pulse was used in this study for the T2*W excitation