A nuclear magnetic resonance imaging method that utilizes a LINA-EPI gradient pulse sequence, comprising the steps of: generating a LINA-EPI gradient pulse sequence comprising a read gradient, a RF excitation pulse, a slice gradient, and a phase encoding gradient; generating substantially monotonous gradient noise as a result of generating the LINA-EPI gradient pulse sequence, wherein the substantially monotonous gradient noise is substantially without banking and minimizes confounding BOLD effects during imaging; and imaging a test subject using the LINA-EPI gradient pulse sequence.