System and method for performing wave-encoded magnetic resonance imaging of an object

1. A method for performing wave-encoded magnetic resonance imaging of an object, the method comprising:

applying one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradient to the object;

acquiring MR signals from the object;

calibrating a wave point-spread function;

reconstructing an image from the MR signals based at least in part on the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

wherein calibration of the wave point-spread function is based at least in part on one or more intermediate images generated from the MR signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are self-refocusing with respect to a center of a corresponding k-space.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are symmetrical.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are at least one of sinusoidal, triangular, square, and trapezoidal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first integral of a first lobe and a second integral of a final lobe of at least one of the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are less than or equal to about half of a third integral of a middle lobe of the same wave-encoded magnetic gradient.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are second-order differentiable between neighboring lobes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein acquiring MR signals from the object via the MRI system comprises:

receiving the wave-encoded MR signals via two or more RF coils; and

the method further comprises:

calibrating a coil sensitivity map of the two or more RF coils based at least in part on the MR signals and the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

wherein reconstructing an image from the MR signals is further based at least in part on the calibrated coil sensitivity map.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein calibrating a coil sensitivity map based at least in part on the MR signals and the calibrated wave point-spread function comprises:

generating a low resolution wave point-spread function from the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

wherein the coil sensitivity map is further based at least in part on the low resolution wave point-spread function and central k-space calibration data within the acquired MR signals.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

motion-correcting the acquired MR signals.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein motion-correcting the acquired MR signals is based at least in part on localized translation motion estimates.

11. An MRI system for performing wave-encoded magnetic resonance imaging of an object, the MRI system comprising:

an MRI controller operative to:

apply one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients to the object;

acquire MR signals from the object;

calibrate a wave point-spread function;

reconstruct an image from the MR signals based at least in part on the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

wherein the MRI controller calibrates the wave point-spread function based at least in part on one or more intermediate images generated from the MR signals.

12. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are self-refocusing with respect to a center of a corresponding k-space.

13. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are symmetrical.

14. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are at least one of sinusoidal, triangular, square, and trapezoidal.

15. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein a first integral of a first lobe and a second integral of a final lobe of at least one of the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are less than or equal to about half of a third integral of a middle lobe of the same wave-encoded magnetic gradient.

16. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients are second-order differentiable between neighboring lobes.

17. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein

the MRI system acquires the MR signals via two or more RF coils;

the MRI controller is further operative to calibrate a coil sensitivity map of the two or more RF coils based at least in part on the MR signals and the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

reconstruction of the image via the MRI controller is further based at least in part on the calibrated coil sensitivity map.

18. The MRI system of claim 17 , wherein

the MRI controller is further operative to generate a low resolution wave point-spread function from the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

calibration of the coil sensitivity map via the MRI controller is further based at least in part on the low resolution wave point-spread function and central k-space calibration data within the acquired MR signals.

19. The MRI system of claim 11 , wherein the MRI controller is further operative to motion correct the acquired MR signals.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to adapt an MRI controller to:

apply one or more wave-encoded magnetic gradients to an object;

acquire MR signals from the object;

calibrate a wave point-spread function;

reconstruct an image from the MR signals based at least in part on the calibrated wave point-spread function; and

wherein calibration of the wave point-spread function is based at least in part on one or more intermediate images generated from the MR signals.