Patent ID: 9612301
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: G01R

Claim:
1. A method for obtaining MRI image signals, comprising: electronically generating a pulse sequence having a defined single-shot or multi-shot segmented echo-planar gradient waveform with a first RF pulse excitation and associated first repetition time (TR) and at least one subsequent RF pulse excitation and associated TR including a subsequent second RF pulse excitation and associated second TR; acquiring multiple ky lines in each RF pulse TR to thereby improve scan efficiency and temporal resolution; asymmetrically refocusing signals from the acquiring step in readout acquisition windows associated with at least the first and second excitation pulses so that, in the second and any subsequent TRs, signals from two different coherent pathways, one based on a current RF pulse excitation and one based on an immediately prior RF pulse excitation, are refocused at different locations of EPI readout acquisition windows; obtaining a first echo image associated with one of the coherent pathways and a second echo image associated with the other coherent pathway; and generating a composite MRI image based on data from the echo images of the obtaining step.