RARE imaging: A fast imaging method for clinical MR

TLDR

Image contrast is dominated by T2, and reconstructing 2D FT images from a few echo trains causes artifacts that cannot be explained by simple phase‑direction smearing due to varying T2 weighting. The study proposes a fast echo‑imaging method that can acquire a 256×256 image in 2–40 s. The method distributes phase‑encoding steps across echo trains, leveraging echo‑imaging principles to reduce artifacts and enhance resolution while enabling rapid acquisition. Despite the rapid acquisition, long‑T2 structures retain signal amplitudes comparable to conventional 2D FT, making the method ideal for screening long‑T2 lesions. © 1986 Academic Press, Inc.

Abstract

Abstract Based on the principles of echo imaging, we presnet a method to acquire sufficient data for a 256 × 256 image in from 2 to 40s. The image contrast is dominated by the transverse relaxation time T 2 Sampling all projections for 2D FT image reconstruction in one (or a few) echo trains leads to image artifacts due to the different T 2 weighting of the echo. These artifacts cannot be described by a simple smearing out of the image in the phase direction. Proper distribution of the phase‐encoding steps on the echoes can be used to minimize artifacts and even lead to resolution enhancement. In spite of the short data acquisition times, the signal amplitudes of structures with long T 2 are nearly the same as those in a conventional 2D FT experiment. Our method, therefore, is an ideal screening technique for lesions with long T 2 . © 1986 Academic Press, Inc.