title: Investigation of BOLD contrast in fMRI using multi-shot EPI.
abstract: High resolution volume coverage of the brain in fMRI studies can be accomplished using multi-slice, multi-shot EPI. We demonstrate that the optimum contrast sensitivity in BOLD based fMRI experiments using multi-shot EPI is achieved by using the shortest possible TR values between segments and the longest tolerable echo train length. For a fixed paradigm time, acquiring the largest number of images under these conditions yields the best statistical detection thresholds. For a multi-slice multi-shot EPI fMRI study, the best approach is to perform the acquisition of all the segments in a single slice before continuing on to each of the slices in turn. Our results regarding the number of shots and TR are also applicable to other multi-shot techniques such as interleaved spirals.
authors.affiliation: The John P. Robarts Research Institute, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. rmenon@irus.rri.uwo.ca
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gati
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen