# A Complete Metal Artifact Reduced MRI Exam for Neuroimaging

> **NIH NIH R21** · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · 2021 · $234,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Techniques for reducing metal artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of orthopaedic implants have
seen tremendous improvement in the last decade. Extensions of these technologies to other applications,
including brain imaging, remain under-developed. As a result, MRI contrasts essential for neuroimaging – such
as T2-FLAIR weighting, weighting, diffusion weighting, and angiography – have not been actively explored. At
the same time, intra-cranial implants or devices which are safe to image have proliferated, and a growing number
of neuroimaging exams include metal artifacts which render them non-diagnostic. It is the goal of this work to
develop and optimize metal artifact reduced acquisitions for the deployment of a fully-functioning neuroimaging
clinical exam.
 The first aim of the proposed work seeks to develop acquisitions and reconstructions for MRI contrasts which
are needed for neuroimaging exams, and are not yet available. Currently available contrasts include T1-weighting,
T2-weighting, and in a preliminary format, diffusion-weighting. For application to neuroimaging, similar metal
artifact reduction principles will be leveraged to yield T2-FLAIR, -weighted, and angiographic acquisitions. Novel
principles necessary for the development of the new proposed acquisitions have recently been demonstrated
within the context of projects targeting orthpaedic implants. In this proposal, these new developments will be
translated to address neuroimaging-specific applications.
 The second aim of the proposed study seeks to evaluate existing and new metal artifact reduction acquisi-
tions for diagnostic performance in neuroimaging exams. Several quantitative metric comparisons between the
conventional and proposed neurological MRI exams will be performed. Compared metrics will include artifact
volume, signal to noise, and contrast to noise. Finally, the diagnostic performance of the newly proposed metal
artifact mitigated neurological MRI exam will be evaluated in a randomized reader study.
 Completion of the proposed work could yield foundational technology necessary for a complete metal artifact
reduced neurological MRI examination. Within the current study, this technology will be developed and tested
to the point of appropriateness for future clinical trials to assess its performance as a primary diagnostic tool.
Ultimately, this work will lead to the availability of new diagnostic neurological MRI exams in patients where
current technologies yield non-diagnostic MRI data.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10145280
- **Project number:** 1R21EB030123-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
- **Principal Investigator:** KEVIN M KOCH
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $234,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-02-01 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10145280

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10145280, A Complete Metal Artifact Reduced MRI Exam for Neuroimaging (1R21EB030123-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10145280. Licensed CC0.

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