Simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) imaging has shown to be a promising tool for improving the efficiency of resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI). As the multi-slice acceleration factor in SMS increases, so does the temporal resolution, allowing increased sensitivity of rs-fMRI measurements. However, to achieve high multi-slice acceleration factors, SMS typically uses higher channel (>=32) receiver coils that may not be available in many research and clinical settings. In this study, we explored the efficacy of using SMS with a typical 8-channel receiver coil for rs-fMRI. Upon employing the slice orientation that maximizes the coil sensitivity variation along the slice direction, we were able to acquire high temporal resolution (TR=400 ms) rs-fMRI data. Compared with the conventional-EPI acquisition (TR=2000 ms), the proposed SMS-EPI acquisition provided superior sensitivity and test-retest reliability for rs-fMRI.
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