We describe an extension of the IMPULSE pTx design algorithm
to enable simultaneous multislice (SMS) excitation. We introduce a strategy for integrating the optimal control
method for reducing peak power in SMS with the optimization of pTx channel
weightings. Desirable features of IMPULSE, including the ability to optimize spoke locations and to design pulses without SAR compression, are retained in this extension. We demonstrate that, even for large multiband acceleration factors,
our approach enables design of pTx pulses that minimize local SAR while
achieving acceptable in-slice homogeneity under strict peak power constraints.
