Robin Martin Heidemann1, Alfred Anwander1, Thomas R. Knsche1, Thorsten Feiweier2, Fabrizio Fasano3,4, Josef Pfeuffer5, Robert Turner1
1Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; 2Siemens Healthcare Sector, Erlangen, Germany; 3Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy; 4Siemens Medical Solutions, Milano, Italy; 5Siemens Medical Solutions, Charlestown, MA, USA
High resolution diffusion-weighted imaging is affected by blurring due to T2* relaxation and geometrical distortions due to off-resonance effects. A combination of a zoomed approach and parallel imaging enables one to achieve high acceleration factors which are essential to obtain high resolution diffusionweighted images with minimal distortions. With the achieved image quality and an in plane resolution of 1 mm x 1 mm it is possible to show the radial anisotropy of the human cortex in vivo.