MOSES: multiple oversampled slabs EPI sequence

A new technique is proposed which combines the advantages of phase encoded and multi-slice echo planar imaging (EPI) methods. Its principle is to interleave multiple phase encoded EPI slabs. This approach can provide a larger spatial coverage than multi-slice EPI for the same signal to noise ratio and total imaging time and a shorter minimum imaging time than 3D EPI for the same coverage and repetition time. Other advantages include availability of the steady state image contrasts and potentially lower acoustic noise and RF specific absorption rate compared to the standard multi-slice EPI. A full discussion of its potential as well as in vivo results at 1.5 and 3 Tesla are presented in this paper.