Slice selection axis motion artifact correction in MRI

In magnetic resonance imaging using two-dimensional Fourier transform techniques, motion causes ghosting in the phase-encoded direction and loss of image resolution. Although numerous techniques have been proposed to suppress these motion artifacts, they are a continuing problem. In this paper a new technique is presented to reduce the artifact from motion along the slice selection axis. It is shown that such motion causes an amplitude modulation of the data, and an iterative algorithm is developed to reduce this modulation by post-processing the data using signal processing techniques. The algorithm is tested on simulated data, and shown to perform well, even with significant levels of noise added to the data.