System and method for improved silent multi-gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging

A system for silent multi-gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging, comprising:

• a memory encoding processor-executable routines;
• and
• a processor configured to access the memory and to execute the processor-executable routines, wherein the processor-executable routines, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• acquire a free induction decay (FID) dataset from a subject using a magnetic resonance scanner, wherein the FID dataset is obtained by performing a free induction decay (FID) acquisition process over iterations, each iteration corresponding to a k-space spoke of a sequence of k-space spokes in a three-dimensional k-space, and wherein an iteration of the FID acquisition process comprises:
• updating a magnetic field gradient based on a k-space spoke of the sequence of k-space spokes corresponding to the iteration of the FID acquisition process;
• applying a radiofrequency excitation pulse while preserving a total magnetic field gradient to encode the k-space spoke corresponding to the iteration of the FID acquisition process;
• and
• acquiring a first dataset corresponding to the k-space spoke corresponding to the iteration of the FID acquisition process, wherein the first dataset is at least a portion of the FID dataset;
• and
• wherein an interconnection of the k-space spokes of the sequence of k-space spokes forms a closed k-space trajectory that refocuses FID signals resulting from the application of the radiofrequency excitation pulse of an initial iteration of the FID acquisition process, wherein the k-space spokes of the sequence of k-space spokes oscillate in and out of a plane of a frequency space.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable code that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

• acquire a free induction decay (FID) dataset from a subject using a magnetic resonance scanner, wherein the FID dataset is obtained by performing a free induction decay (FID) acquisition process over iterations, each iteration corresponding to a k-space spoke of a sequence of k-space spokes in a three-dimensional k-space, and wherein an iteration of the FID acquisition process comprises:
• updating a magnetic field gradient based on a k-space spoke of the sequence of k-space spokes corresponding to the iteration of the FID acquisition process;
• applying a radiofrequency excitation pulse while preserving a total magnetic field gradient to encode the k-space spoke corresponding to the iteration of the FID acquisition process;
• and
• acquiring a first dataset corresponding to the k-space spoke corresponding to the iteration of the FID acquisition process, wherein the first dataset is at least a portion of the FID dataset;
• and
• wherein an interconnection of the k-space spokes of the sequence of k-space spokes forms a closed k-space trajectory that refocuses FID signals resulting from the application of the radiofrequency excitation pulse of an initial iteration of the FID acquisition process, wherein the k-space spokes of the sequence of k-space spokes oscillate in and out of a plane of a frequency space.