Accelerated Point Spread Function Mapping Using Compressed Sensing for EPI Geometric Distortion Correction

Iulius Dragonu¹, Juergen Hennig¹, Maxim Zaitsev¹

Single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) is a fast technique allowing the acquisition of an image following a single RF excitation. The high temporal resolution of EPI makes it the method of choice for applications such as fMRI or diffusion tensor imaging. However, EPI is prone to geometric and intensity distortions in the presence of magnetic field inhomogeneities. Several correction techniques have been proposed in the past based on field map acquisitions or point spread function (PSF) acquisitions. Parallel imaging techniques were employed for accelerating the PSF data acquisition. In this work we demonstrate that compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction can be used for acquiring the PSF data set with high acceleration factors for accurate geometric distortion corrections.