In simple ultrafast GRE imaging, TR and TE are so short, that tissues have a poor imaging signal and - more importantly - poor contrast except when contrast media enhanced (contrast enhanced angiography). Therefore, the magnetization is 'prepared' during the preparation module, most frequently by an initial 180° inversion pulse.
In the pulse sequence timing diagram, the basic ultrafast gradient echo sequence is illustrated. The 180° inversion pulse is executed one time (to the left of the vertical line), the right side represents the data collection period and is often repeated depending on the acquisition parameters.
See also Pulse Sequence Timing Diagram, there you will find a description of the components.
Ultrafast GRE sequences have a short TR,TE, a low flip angle and TR is so short that image acquisition lasts less than 1 second and typically less than 500 ms. Common TR: 3-5 msec, TE: 2 msec, and the flip angle is about 5°. Such sequences are often labeled with the prefix 'Turbo' like TurboFLASH, TurboFFE and TurboGRASS.
This allows one to center the subsequent ultrafast GRE data acquisition around the inversion time TI, where one of the tissues of interest has very little signal as its z-magnetization is passing through zero.
Unlike a standard inversion recovery (IR) sequence, all lines or a substantial segment of k-space image lines are acquired after a single inversion pulse, which can then together be considered as readout module. The readout module may use a variable flip angle approach, or the data acquisition may be divided into multiple segments (shots). The latter is useful particularly in cardiac imaging where acquiring all lines in a single segment may take too long relative to the cardiac cycle to provide adequate temporal resolution.
If multiple lines are acquired after a single pulse, the pulse sequence is a type of gradient echo echo planar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence.

See also Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MPRAGE) and Turbo Field Echo (TFE).

(EPI) Echo planar imaging is one of the early magnetic resonance imaging sequences (also known as Intascan), used in applications like diffusion, perfusion, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Other sequences acquire one k-space line at each phase encoding step. When the echo planar imaging acquisition strategy is used, the complete image is formed from a single data sample (all k-space lines are measured in one repetition time) of a gradient echo or spin echo sequence (see single shot technique) with an acquisition time of about 20 to 100 ms. The pulse sequence timing diagram illustrates an echo planar imaging sequence from spin echo type with eight echo train pulses. (See also Pulse Sequence Timing Diagram, for a description of the components.)
In case of a gradient echo based EPI sequence the initial part is very similar to a standard gradient echo sequence. By periodically fast reversing the readout or frequency encoding gradient, a train of echoes is generated.
EPI requires higher performance from the MRI scanner like much larger gradient amplitudes. The scan time is dependent on the spatial resolution required, the strength of the applied gradient fields and the time the machine needs to ramp the gradients.
In EPI, there is water fat shift in the phase encoding direction due to phase accumulations. To minimize water fat shift (WFS) in the phase direction fat suppression and a wide bandwidth (BW) are selected. On a typical EPI sequence, there is virtually no time at all for the flat top of the gradient waveform. The problem is solved by "ramp sampling" through most of the rise and fall time to improve image resolution.
The benefits of the fast imaging time are not without cost. EPI is relatively demanding on the scanner hardware, in particular on gradient strengths, gradient switching times, and receiver bandwidth. In addition, EPI is extremely sensitive to image artifacts and distortions.

(FSPGR) A sequence similar to TurboFLASH or Turbo Field Echo.

See also Spoiled Gradient Echo Sequence and Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence.

(FAST) A gradient echo sequence with steady state free precession.

See Gradient Echo Sequence and Steady State Free Precession.

(GRASE) A hybrid sequence with a combination of gradient and spin echo sequences. If multiple image lines are obtained during a single echo, the imaging pulse sequence type is a GRASE sequence.

See Gradient Echo Sequence and Spin Echo Sequence.

(MP-GRE / MPRAGE / MP-RAGE) A fast 3D gradient echo pulse sequence using a magnetization preparation pulse like TurboFLASH. Only one segment or partition of a 3D data record is obtained per inversion preparation pulse. After the acquisition, for all rows a delay time (TD) is used to prevent saturation effects.
MPRAGE is designed for rapid acquisition with T1 weighted dominance. Fast gradient echoes are characterized by their rapid sampling time, high signal intensity and image contrast while approaching steady state (the echo is collected during the time when tissues are experiencing T1 relaxation). The rapid speed of the acquisition makes it an excellent alternative to breath-hold abdominal imaging, neuro, dynamic bolus, MR angiography and cardiac imaging.

See Gradient Echo Sequence.

(RAM-FAST) A fast gradient echo pulse sequence using a magnetization preparation pulse.

See Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence.

(RS) A very fast gradient echo sequence.

See Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence.

(SMASH) A very fast gradient echo sequence.

See Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence.

(TFE) Turbo field echo is a gradient echo pulse sequence with data acquisition after an initial 180° (similar to IR) preparation pulse for contrast enhancement. The difference between a FFE and TFE other than the speed of the sequence is that the image is acquired while approaching steady state (the echoes are collected during the time in which the tissues are experiencing T1 relaxation).
The contrast is prepared one time, which means the contrast is changing while the echoes are collected and can be manipulated by selecting the type and timing of the prepulse. A delay time is given before the actual image acquisition. To achieve T1 contrast the 180° prepulse is followed by an operator selected delay time, that results in no signal from the targeted tissue. So when the echoes are acquired, no signal is present, additional RF spoiling is performed to optimize for T1 contrast. The delay chosen corresponds to when T1 relaxation reaches and suppresses T1 signal or optimizes the difference between tissues. Contrast for these sequences are enhanced when K-space is filled using a centric or low-high ordering. A TFE can be acquired with a 2D or 3D technique and with or without T1, T2 weighting.
See Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence, TurboFLASH and Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MPRAGE).

(TGSE / TurboGSE) A sequence with a combination of Gradient and Spin Echo Imaging. Additional gradient echoes are generated before and after each spin echo. The spin echoes are allocated to the center of the raw data matrix to give pure T2 contrast. The gradient echoes primarily determine the image resolution. If multiple image lines are obtained during a single echo, the imaging pulse sequence type is a TGSE pulse sequence. This sequence is very fast, fat is darker and more sensitive to susceptibility effects. Also called GRASE.

(TurboGRASS) This GRASS-based sequence use an inversion pulse followed by a low flip angle and short TR gradient echo train.

See also Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence and Gradient Recalled Acquisition in Steady State.

(TurboFLASH) This FLASH-based sequence use an inversion pulse followed by a low flip angle and short TR gradient echo train. This gradient echo technique forms complete images in times short compared to T1. Images obtained in this way have very little intrinsic contrast, maintaining adequate signal requires that losses (and therefore contrast).

See also Ultrafast Gradient Echo Sequence and Fast Low Angle Shot.

(VIBE) A T1 weighted 3D FLASH breath hold technique with fat selective prepulse.
Used for dynamic liver, pancreas, pelvis, thorax, orbita imaging and MR colonoscopy.