Steady‐state diffusion‐weighted imaging: theory, acquisition and analysis

Steady‐state diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) has long been recognized to offer potential benefits over conventional spin‐echo methods. This family of pulse sequences is highly efficient and compatible with three‐dimensional acquisitions, which could enable high‐resolution, low‐distortion images. However, the same properties that lead to its efficiency make steady‐state imaging highly susceptible to motion and create a complicated signal with dependence on T 1 , T 2 and flip angle. Recent developments in gradient hardware, motion‐mitigation techniques and signal analysis offer potential solutions to these problems, reviving interest in steady‐state DWI. This review offers a description of steady‐state DWI signal formation and provides an overview of the current methods for steady‐state DWI acquisition and analysis. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.