Echo planar slice multiplexing

A method for separating measurement data of an object under examination acquired in collapsed form simultaneously for at least two slices, using an echo planar (EPI) simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) technique, into measurement data of individual slices, the method comprising:

• loading measurement data to be separated which was generated by generating a train of at least two echo signals from at least two different slices of the object under examination after one radio frequency (RF) excitation pulse, and by acquiring the echo signals while switching readout gradients of alternating polarity for consecutive echo signals, and by capturing as the measurement data the echo signals acquired simultaneously for the at least two slices;
• for each of the at least two slices, acquiring using a gradient echo (GRE) acquisition technique a first set of reference measurement data for separating the measurement data, wherein reference measurement data in the first set of reference measurement data is acquired after a plurality of excitations having different phase encoding and in each case during switching of identically shaped readout gradients of a first polarity;
• for each of the at least two slices, acquiring using a GRE acquisition technique a second set of reference measurement data for separating the measurement data, wherein reference measurement data in the second set of reference measurement data is acquired after a plurality of excitations having different phase encoding and in each case during switching of identically shaped readout gradients of a second polarity, which differs from the first polarity;
• determining first calibration data based on acquired first sets of reference measurement data;
• determining second calibration data based on acquired second sets of reference measurement data;
• applying the first calibration data in order to separate into first measurement data of individual slices the measurement data captured in collapsed form that was acquired using readout gradients of the first polarity;
• applying the second calibration data in order to separate into second measurement data of individual slices the measurement data captured in collapsed form that was acquired using readout gradients of the second polarity;
• and
• storing and/or processing further the first measurement data of individual slices and the second measurement data of individual slices, in each case for at least one individual slice of the at least two slices for which measurement data was acquired simultaneously in collapsed form.