Methods, systems, computer programs, circuits and workstations are configured to carry out image processing to generate MRI images with reduced aliasing artifacts (e.g., Nyquist and/or motion-induced image artifacts) by (a) electronically reconstructing a series of images using patient image data obtained from a patient MRI image data set by iteratively cycling through different estimated values of phase gradients in at least two dimensions; and (b) electronically selecting an image from the reconstructed images as having a lowest artifact level.