(PS)
Excitation technique applying repeated RF pulses in times comparable to or shorter than T1.
Incomplete
T1 relaxation leads to reduction of the signal
amplitude; there is the possibility of generating images with increased
contrast between regions with different relaxation times.
Although partial
saturation is also commonly referred to as
saturation recovery, that term should properly be reserved for the particular case of partial
saturation in which recovery after each
excitation effectively takes place from true
saturation.
A GRE sequence where α = 90° is identical to the partial
saturation or
saturation recovery pulse sequence.
It does not directly produce images of T1. However, since the measured signal will depend on T1, the method generates
contrast between regions with different relaxation times. If T2 and/or T2 effects are minimized through the use of a short
echo time TE, the result is a
T1 weighted image. It is not a T1 image due to the possible presence of
spin density and T2 effects as well as the nonlinear dependence on T1.
The change in signal from a region resulting from a change in the interpulse time, TR, can be used to calculate T1 for the region.