Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for ghost artifact reduction in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In one embodiment, a method for an MRI system comprises acquiring a non-phase-encoded reference dataset, calculating phase corrections for spatial orders higher than first order from the non-phase-encoded reference dataset, acquiring a phase-encoded k-space dataset, correcting the phase-encoded k-space dataset with the phase corrections, and reconstructing an image from the corrected phase-encoded k-space dataset. In this way, ghost artifacts caused by phase errors during EPI may be substantially reduced, thereby improving image quality especially when imaging with a large field of view.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for ghost artifact reduction in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In one embodiment, a method for an MRI system comprises acquiring a non-phase-encoded reference dataset, calculating phase corrections for spatial orders higher than first order from the non-phase-encoded reference dataset, acquiring a phase-encoded k-space dataset, correcting the phase-encoded k-space dataset with the phase corrections, and reconstructing an image from the corrected phase-encoded k-space dataset. In this way, ghost artifacts caused by phase errors during EPI may be substantially reduced, thereby improving image quality especially when imaging with a large field of view.

Abstract: A method and system of MR imaging where variable readout gradient filtering (VRGF) is carried out after MR data acquired during gradient field transitions has been phase-corrected. Thus, phase errors can be removed prior to VRGF re-sampling of the MR data. As such, image artifacts due to phase errors can be reduced, improving image fidelity and reducing ghosting especially for poorly calibrated systems.

Abstract: A nearest neighbor phase correction technique is implemented to reduce image artifacts due to phase errors in data acquired in an EPI scan. Image quality for EPI applications, such as DWI, DTI, and fMRI, is improved.

Abstract: The present invention includes a technique for use with magnetic resonance imaging that includes the application of a non-linear, higher-order gradient field in the presence of a moving object to be scanned. MR data is acquired as the object moves through the non-linear gradient field. Resulting images are contiguous and do not require the patching together of data in either k-space or image space and result in an image with expanded FOV in a longitudinal direction of the moving object.