Keyhole diffusion tensor imaging - a fast spin-echo based DTI technique

A fast spin-echo based diffusion tensor imaging technique - keyhole DTI, is proposed and validated with live mice. For all quantified DTI indices, the keyhole data sharing effects are small and insignificant, except for a relatively large dispersion on major eigenvectors in the gray matters. Taking advantage of the spin-echo signals, the proposed keyhole-DTI does not suffer from the susceptibility and eddy current artifacts, as commonly seen in EPI based DTI. It is suitable for applications that require both speedy scanning and high resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio natures.