T2*-weighted EPI suffers from severe signal dropouts and geometric distortions in the human spinal cord due to susceptibility differences between tissue, vertebrae, and vertebral bones. With 2D-selective RF (2DRF) excitations, the field-of-view can be focused to the spinal cord without aliasing which reduces geometric distortions, shortens echo times, and increases the signal-to-noise ratio significantly. Here, this approach is accelerated with simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) imaging to shorten the acquisition time. An individual temporal shift was applied to the different bands of a multi-band 2DRF envelope which corresponds to a slice- or band-specific z-shim that compensates for the specific through-slice dephasing effects.
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