Combining SPARSE fMRI Designs with SENSE at High Field Strength

Purpose: Acoustic noise has always been a problem for fMRI, especially if acoustic stimuli are used. However, moving to higher field strength enhances this problem drastically. The acoustic noise can mask the stimulus, and the stimulus-bound fMRI-signal might be contaminated or even eliminated by the BOLD-signal of the scanner noise. Using non-continuous acquisition schemes by separating the acquisition of successive volumes by a couple of seconds (so called “SPARSE“ designs) avoids the acoustic masking of the stimuli and allows for deconvolution of the haemodynamic response function (hrf) induced by the acousti…