BACKGROUND: Motion artifacts and magnetic susceptibility artifacts have serious impacts on magnetic resonance (MR) image quality. Periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (Propeller) technique, collecting data spirally using radial blades by filling pattern, greatly reduce or eliminate these artifacts.OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical application of MR Propeller technique in eliminating the artifacts of brain images.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The comparative observation was performed at Kunming General Hospital of Chengdu Military Area Command of Chinese PLA from July 2006 to April 2007.PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one cases showed dysphoria or unable to control oneself in the routine cranial MRI examination, and 5 presented artifacts because of magnetic-susceptibility.METHODS: Twenty-one cases, who had dysphoria and could not control themselves in routine cranial MRI examination, underwent Propeller T2 weighted imaging (WI), and the images were compared with routine T2 fast-recovery fast spin echo sequence; 5 cases, who had artifacts because of magnetic-susceptibility, received Propeller diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and the images were compared with routine DWI.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The changes of motion artifacts and magnetic susceptibility artifacts resulted from Propeller technique.RESULTS: The artifacts caused by motion in 21 cases were significantly reduced or eliminated by Propeller T2WI scanning, and those caused by magnetic susceptibility in the other 5 cases were also significantly eliminated by Propeller DWI. Satisfactory MR images were obtained.CONCLUSION: Propeller T2WI or DWI technique can obviously reduce or eliminate the artifacts caused by motion or magnetic-susceptibility, and can significantly improve the image quality for clinical diagnosis.