(CPMG) This type of spinechopulse sequence consisting of a 90° radiofrequency pulse followed by an echo train induced by successive 180° pulses and is useful for measuring T2 weighted images.
It is a modification of the Carr-Purcell RF pulse sequence, with 90° phase shift in the rotating frame of reference between the 90° pulse and the subsequent 180° pulses in order to reduce accumulating effects of imperfections in the 180° pulses. Suppression of effects of pulse error accumulation can alternatively be achieved by switching phases of the 180° pulses by 180°.
(FID) A free inductiondecay curve is generated as excited nuclei relax. The amplitude of the FID signal becomes smaller over time as net magnetization returns to equilibrium.
If transverse magnetization of the spins is produced, e.g. by a 90° pulse, a transient MR signal will result that will decay toward zero with a characteristic time constant T2 (or T2*); this decaying signal is the free inductiondecay.
The signal peaks of the echoes fall onto this T2 decay curve, while at each echo the signals arise and decay with T2*. The typical T2 relaxation times being of the order of 5-200 ms in the human body.
The first part of the FID is not observable (named the 'receiver dead time') caused by residual effects of the powerful exciting radiofrequency pulse on the electronics of the receiver.
(FRE) Flow related enhancement could be seen most for blood flow, but also for other liquids with some MR imaging techniques, as an increase in intensity due to the washout of saturated spins. FRE provides positive contrast ("bright blood") of vascular details in time of flight MRA as well as the physiologic characterization of blood flow.
If stationary spins within the scanned region experience only an incomplete T1 relaxation between the repeated radiofrequency (RF) excitations, this results in fewer signal of the stationary tissue (compared to inflowing blood with completely relaxed spins).
The degree of the flow related enhancement is proportional to the blood flowvelocity and the used repetition time. The use of flow compensation (gradient moment nulling) improves the FRE especially in gradient echosequences.
(PRESS) Point resolved spectroscopy is a multi echosingle shot technique to obtain spectral data. PRESS is a 90°-180°-180° (slice selective pulses) sequence. The 90° radiofrequency pulse rotates the spins in the yx-plane, followed by the first 180° pulse (spin rotation in the xz-plane) and the second 180° pulse (spin rotation in the xy-plane), which gives the signal.
With the long echo times used in PRESS, there is a better visualization of metabolites with longer relaxation times. Many of the metabolites depicted by stimulated echo technique are not seen on point resolved spectroscopy, but PRESS is less susceptible to motion, diffusion, and quantum effects and has a better SNR than stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM).