Abstract: Methods and apparatus for operating a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to perform diffusion weighted imaging, the low-field MRI system including a plurality of magnetics components including a B0 magnet configured to produce a low-field main magnetic field B0, at least one gradient coil configured to, when operated, provide spatial encoding of emitted magnetic resonance signals, and at least one radio frequency (RF) component configured to acquire, when operated, the emitted magnetic resonance signals. The method comprises controlling one or more of the plurality of magnetics components in accordance with at least one pulse sequence having a diffusion-weighted gradient encoding period followed by multiple echo periods during which magnetic resonance signals are produced and detected, wherein at least two of the multiple echo periods correspond to respective encoded echoes having an opposite gradient polarity.