Abstract #3613

Effects of a Slice-Dependent Template-Based Gradient Compensation Method on the BOLD Sensitivity

Jochen Rick¹, Oliver Speck², Jrgen Hennig³, Maxim Zaitsev³

¹Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, N/A, Germany; ²Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; ³Dept. of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

Anatomy-related susceptibility gradients in the human head lead to artefacts in echo planar imaging (EPI). The use of a slice-dependent template-based gradient compensation method improves BOLD sensitivity (BS) in areas affected by strong susceptibility-induced field gradients. Here, an evaluation of BS changes is performed for a compensated measurement in relation to an uncompensated measurement. It is shown that the ratio of signal loss to signal gain is well balanced, but the method allows the sensitivity to be optimized in target areas. These results are affirmed in a functional experiment and shows that the method can be used for event-related functional experiments.