Prospective motion correction in multi-echo line-scanning fMRI at 7T: sequence implementation and strategies for functional data analysis

Abstract

We implemented prospective motion-correction (PMC) for line-scanning fMRI. In line-scanning, online motion correction is needed since 1-dimensional data do not allow motion detection in every dimension and the limited coverage makes this approach sensitive to spin-history artifacts or scanning outside the area of interest, in the presence of motion. We compared three versions of PMC and three ways of managing the T1-driven return to equilibrium (T1-transient) introduced by the navigators, in the functional data analysis. We opted for a water-excitation navigator as the best alternative, and showed that the T1-transient can be successfully overcome in the functional analysis.