Echo spacing is the distance in time between the echoes in multiple echo sequences like, e.g. echo planar imaging, fast spin echo. A short echo space produces compact sequence timing and less image artifacts. The shorter the rise time, the faster the gradients and therefore the echo spacing. Gradients with a shorter echo spacing will have a better resolution and more slices per TR.

See also Fast Spin Echo.

(UTSE) The ultrashort turbo spin echo (TSE / FSE) sequence is a technique with extremely short echo spacing, resulting in shorter scan times. This is an advantage in areas where motion is a problem, for example dynamic or abdominal imaging. The shorter scan time and echo spacing are achieved by using a higher TSE factor and an increased data sampling rate.
Disadvantages are the decrease in SNR (caused through the increase of the bandwidth) and artifacts if minimum echo spacing is used (incomplete dephasing of the 180° pulse FID).

See also Fast Spin Echo.

The gradient slew rate is the speed rate of ascent or descent of a gradient from zero to its maximum amplitude, either positive or negative. Which is the amplitude divided by the rise time in msec. Measured in mT/m/msec or T/m/sec. The shorter the rise time, the faster the gradients and therefore echo spacing. Gradients with a shorter echo spacing will have a better resolution and more slices per TR.

(TSE TF) The turbo factor is the number of echoes acquired after each excitation. This is a measure of the scan time acceleration, e.g. at turbo factor 3 the scan time is 3 times faster as a SE sequence with comparable parameters. In combination with profile order and effective echo time the TSE turbo factor controls the echo spacing.

See also Scan Time and Echo Spacing.

The flat top is the area at the top of the frequency encoding gradient where the data sampling occurs. By increasing the BW the amount of time the flat top is on is reduced. Shortening the duration of the flat top shortens the echo spacing and also geometric distortions. The area under the frequency gradient determines the FOV, while the flat top determines the number of samples to be collected.