NCT07305948

Evaluation of a New MRI Technique to Reduce Breathing-Related Artifacts in Brain Imaging

Prospective Evaluation of a Free Induction Decay (FID) Navigator-Based Off-Resonance Correction Method (DORK) for Improving High-Resolution 3D Echo Planar (EPI) Susceptibility-Weighted (SWI) Brain MRI

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Region Stockholm · Other Government
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to improve the quality of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans by testing a new imaging method that reduces distortions caused by breathing. During respiration, small movements of the chest and diaphragm can lead to subtle changes in the magnetic field within the head. These changes can introduce artifacts in certain MRI techniques, particularly susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), which is used to visualize veins, small hemorrhages, and iron deposits. The investigated method measures breathing-related magnetic field variations during MRI acquisition using two very short navigator signals, referred to as free induction decay (FID) navigators. These signals are used to perform dynamic off-resonance correction during image reconstruction, reducing image blurring and distortion. The method does not increase scan time and does not affect standard clinical imaging. In this study, patients scheduled for routine clinical brain MRI are asked to provide informed consent for use of their raw MRI data for research purposes. For each participant, two sets of SWI images are generated from the same acquisition: one using standard reconstruction and one using the free induction decay navigator-based dynamic off-resonance correction method (FID-DORK). The objective is to assess whether the corrected images provide improved image quality and diagnostic reliability. The study includes adult patients undergoing routine clinical MRI at Karolinska University Hospital. Image quality is evaluated using both visual assessment by neuroradiologists and quantitative measures of image variation. No additional imaging procedures, contrast agents, or scan time are required. All research data are pseudonymized prior to analysis. The hypothesis is that the dual free induction decay navigator-based correction method (FID-DORK) improves the diagnostic quality of high-resolution three-dimensional echo-planar imaging susceptibility-weighted imaging brain MRI by reducing breathing-related artifacts.

Conditions

• Brain Diseases

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Dual Free Induction Decay (FID) Navigator Off-Resonance Corrected (DORK) 3D Susceptibility Weighted (SWI) Echo Planar Imaging (EPI)	This intervention consists of a modified magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition and reconstruction method used during routine clinical brain imaging. The method adds two very short free-induction-decay (FID) navigator signals to each repetition of a high-resolution 3D echo planar imaging (EPI) susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) sequence. These navigator signals measure breathing-related magnetic field changes, which are then used to perform dynamic off-resonance correction (DORK) during image reconstruction. The modified sequence does not change the clinical scan time or affect patient care. For each participant, both uncorrected and corrected SWI images are generated from the same raw data.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-01-05
• Primary completion: 2026-12-31
• Completion: 2027-12-31
• First posted: 2025-12-26
• Last updated: 2026-02-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Sweden