Accelerated multi-shell diffusion MRI with Gaussian processes estimated reconstruction of multi-band imaging

Motivation: Advanced diffusion MRI models that utilize multi-shell data provide higher specificity about tissue microstructure but require longer scan time, hindering wider application. Goal(s): To increase the acquisition speed of multi-shell diffusion MRI for rapid tissue microstructure mapping. Approach: We integrated multi-band imaging with the extended multi-shell Diffusion Acceleration with Gaussian process Estimated Reconstruction (ems-DAGER), including eddy-current corrected joint k-q reconstruction. The method was evaluated with in vivo data. Results: Simulated and in-vivo results demonstrate that ems-DAGER method can significantly improve the image quality of reconstructed dMRI data with both in-plane and slice-wise acceleration to enable advanced multi-shell diffusion analysis. Impact: Highly accelerated dMRI with the proposed method can shorten the scan time of multi-shell dMRI without sacrificing quality compared to conventional practice. This may facilitate a wider application of advanced dMRI models in basic and clinical neuroscience.