Efficacy of motion artifact reduction in neonatal DW segmented EPI at 3 T using phase correction by numerical optimization and segment data swapping

Segmented echoplanar imaging (EPI) is a potentially valuable acquisition method for neonatal diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) due to the lower acoustic noise levels as well as reduced blurring and distortion associated with it, as compared with single-shot EPI. Reduced acoustic noise may be important for the safety of neonates. However, little information regarding the efficacy of segmented EPI motion correction schemes is available for the neonatal population. We quantitatively assessed the efficacy of a postprocessing technique for motion artifact reduction involving phase correction by nonlinear optimization, alone and in combination with a novel method of utilizing a second data set (referred to as segment data swapping). These methods were applied to three-directional eight-segment echoplanar DW images obtained from 13 sedated neonates and to nine-directional DW images from 3 unsedated neonates. For comparison, the efficacy of the nonlinear optimization method was also evaluated in four adults. Motion correction efficacy was quantified using the motion artifact-to-signal ratio (ASR). The median, 70th percentile and 90th percentile ASR values obtained from neonatal three-directional DWI using nonlinear optimization alone were 2.8%, 4.6% and 9.6%, respectively. Efficacy improved (P<.005), particularly in dealing with the images most difficult to correct, when the phase correction by numerical optimization was combined with segment data swapping (median ASR=1.9%, 70th percentile ASR=2.7%, 90th percentile ASR=4.3%). Similar results were obtained for nine-directional diffusion tensor imaging. Nonlinear optimization alone applied to adult images showed significantly (P<.001) lower ASR values (median ASR=0.9%, 70th percentile ASR=2.1%, 90th percentile ASR=4.1%), demonstrating the greater challenge in DWI of neonates with segmented EPI. In conclusion, phase correction by nonlinear optimization provides effective motion correction for neonatal DW eight-segment EPI, especially when used in conjunction with segment data swapping.