Consistency Models for Fast MRI Reconstruction Using Regularization by Denoising

Researchers propose CM-RED, a new MRI reconstruction method that integrates a pretrained consistency model into the regularization by denoising (RED) scheme, achieving high-quality reconstructions on fastMRI knee and brain datasets using only 4 network function evaluations (NFEs). The method outperforms existing diffusion model- and consistency model-based approaches in quantitative metrics and visual fidelity, and shows strong robustness to hyperparameter variations. Source code and pretrained models are publicly available at https://github.com/MerveGulle/CM-RED.

arXiv:2608.20561v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Diffusion models DMs have emerged as powerful generative priors for MRI reconstruction with promising results. Yet DM-based methods require extensive iterative refinement, limiting their practical deployment. Consistency models CMs provide a compelling alternative, aiming to map out the diffusion trajectory in a single pass, enabling faster generation. In this work, we propose CM-RED, a novel MRI reconstruction method that integrates a pretrained CM into the regularization by denoising RED scheme. Our method builds on accelerated proximal gradient RED RED-APG , and further incorporates controlled noise injection during the update steps to enhance generative diversity and accelerate convergence. Extensive experiments on the fastMRI knee and brain datasets demonstrate that CM-RED achieves high-quality reconstructions across multiple anatomies, contrast weights, acceleration factors, and undersampling patterns, using only 4 network function evaluations NFEs . The proposed method consistently outperforms existing DM- and CM-based approaches in both quantitative metrics and visual fidelity, and exhibits strong robustness to hyperparameter variations, highlighting CM-RED as an efficient and effective generative framework for accelerated MRI reconstruction. The source code and pretrained models are publicly available at https://github.com/MerveGulle/CM-RED.