Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Summary: Subject motion remains an important problem in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging - voluntary or physiologic motion causes blurring and other artifacts in the images. Currently there is a technique called a ""navigator"" that is used during the acquisition of the image that can correct for motion in one dimension. Our group has been working on developing a three-dimensional ""navigator"" to allow motions in all dimensions to be detected simultaneously. Some of the challenges we will face and work to overcome include the ability to ensure that the new navigators can be made fast enough so as not to interfere with the acquisition of the image and to develop techniques for using them during imaging of brain and heart. The research will include many steps, starting with an optimization of the way the navigators are acquired, verification of the accuracy and implementation on the MRI scanners. Significance: The success of this work will lead to the ability to monitor and correct for three-dimensional translation and rotation of the head, heart, and other organs in real time using an MR-based technique; this has not been demonstrated previously. The successful implementation and verification of the accelerated three-dimensional navigator technique promises to have immediate impact on brain and heart MR imaging.