Autocalibrated parallel imaging reconstruction with sampling pattern optimization for GRASE: APIR4GRASE

Purpose: To reduce artifacts and scan time of GRASE imaging by selecting an optimal sampling pattern and jointly reconstructing gradient echo and spin echo images. Methods: We jointly reconstruct images for the different echo types by considering these as additional virtual coil channels in the novel Autocalibrated Parallel Imaging Reconstruction with Sampling Pattern Optimization for GRASE (APIR4GRASE) method. Besides image reconstruction, we identify optimal sampling patterns for the acquisition. The selected optimal patterns were validated on phantom and in-vivo acquisitions. Comparison to the conventional GRASE without acceleration, and to the GRAPPA reconstruction with a single echo type was also performed. Results: Using identified optimal sampling patterns, APIR4GRASE eliminated modulation artifacts in both phantom and in-vivo experiments; mean square error (MSE) was reduced by 78% and 94%, respectively, compared to the conventional GRASE with similar scan time. Both artifacts and g-factor were reduced compared to the GRAPPA reconstruction with a single echo type. Conclusion: APIR4GRASE substantially improves the speed and quality of GRASE imaging over the state-of-the-art, and is able to reconstruct both spin echo and gradient echo images