Recapitulating dephasing
T2 decay is the process whereby millions of spins
begin to dephase (Mxy begins to decrease very
rapidly exponentially)
Dephasing is due to:
1. T2
spin-spin interactions
2. magnetic field inhomogeneities
T2* relaxation
3. magnetic susceptibility decay
4. chemical shift effects
Each proton in a molecule has slightly different chemical environment and
consequently has a slightly different amount of electronic shielding slightly
different resonance frequency. Different types of proton will occur at different
chemical shifts (resonant frequency of an atomic nucleus relative to a standard
in a magnetic field)
• Dephasing due to 2, 3 & 4 can be reversed
• Dephasing only due to spin-spin interaction T2 1
Effect of magnetic field
inhomogeneities
FID signal decays very rapidly
(T2* ~ few ms) << T2 due to magnetic
field
rarely measured
inhomogeneities
effect of imperfect B + effect of spin-spin
some dipoles precess
interactions faster than others after a 900 pulse
in tissue
Mxy vector begins to
dephase
faster precessing ones (leaders) getting ahead
of the slower ones (laggers)
Mxy and FID signal decay with time
constant T2* 2
Understanding SE sequence
900 RF
t=0 3
4
1800 RF
t=TE/2 5
t=TE 6
To remove the effects associated with B but leave the
tissue characteristic T2 effect: SPIN ECHO PULSE
SEQUENCE Oneused cycle of SE pulse
sequence
after time t : 1800 pulse applied spins
rotate over to opposite axis individual
mxy vectors turned through 1800
laggers become leaders and vice versa
rather than spins continuing to
dephase, the spins will begin to
rephase
Mxy (and MR signal)
regrow
signal measured with receiver coil
increases and
forms a max signal
signal decreases as the spins once 7
A: starts with an excitation pulse; magnetization flipped into xy plane
B: Immediately the spins dephase
C: The spins dephase a bit more….then a 180 rephasing pulse is given
D: The spins are mirrored around the y axis
E: the spins rephase until….
F: the spins are in phase again creating an “echo” 8
SE sequence. The excitation pulse always
has a flip angle of 90 degrees; the dephased
spins are refocused into the spin echo by
the 180 degree pulse
9
a. Application of 90° RF pulse
. Application of 180° RF rephasing pulse
c. Echo
d. Repeat cycle
a. Application of 90° RF pulse
2. The Mxy signal decays
rapidly due to the T2* or free
induction decay. There are
some proton vectors that are
fast and lead and some that
Spin echo sequence step 1 are slow and lag as they
dephase.
1. A 90° RF pulse is
applied. All proton
vectors precess in Spin echo sequence step 2
phase and the Mxy
10
signal is at its
b. Application of c. Echo
180° RF rephasing
pulse
Spin echo sequence step 4
Spin echo sequence step 3 4. After the same amount of time (t) the proton vectors are
again in phase, the Mxy signal is at its peak. This is
3. After a time (t), a 180° the echo and this is the signal that is measured. The decay
RF pulse is applied. This in the signal from the original 90° to the echo is due to the
is simply a pulse that is tissue characteristic T2 effect with the effect of magnetic
applied twice as long as field inhomogeneities minimized.
the 90° pulse in the
transverse plane. All The time at which this echo is produced is the TE (time to
proton vectors are turned echo). It is produced at exactly 2t, t being the time11 at
The mechanism through which the echo is created is given in detail
in the diagram below:
12
d. Repeat cycle
Spin echo sequence step 5
5. One cycle has now been completed. This cycle is
repeated hundreds of times in the sequence. The
time to the next cycle is TR (time to repetition)
Summary
1. Initial 90° RF pulse
2. At TE/2, 180° pulse
applied
3. At TE, echo signal
measured 13
Application of a 90°
RF pulse results in
FID which rapidly
dephases
due to T2* effects
Application of a 180°
RF pulse will allow
formation of an echo
at a time TE (=2t)
Multiple 180° pulses
will form multiple
echoes
Time b/w the peak
of the 900 RF pulse
Curve formed by connecting the & the peak of the
echo peaks: represents decay by T2 echo: time to echo
effects only OR echo time (TE)
Initial faster decay immediately
after 900 RF pulse: T2* effects
Rephasing of the spins forms an echo
14
(called spin-echo)
One cycle of spin echo sequence
1800 RF
pulse:
rephasing/refocusing pulse
(i) Reverses
and
eliminates
the
dephasing
effect
of the only
(ii) Leaves
systemic B
residual
dephasing
inhomogeneitie
due
s to random
effects
of spin-spin
interaction
(T2)
15
1800 RF pulse
• 1800 RF pulse:
rephasing/refocusing pulse
• Reverses and eliminates the
dephasing effect of the systemic B
inhomogeneities
• Leaves only residual dephasing
due to random effects of spin-spin
interaction (T2)
• When measured at time TE = 2t,
reduced T2 relaxation 16
Forming the Tissue Contrast
MR images map 3 properties of tissues:
(i) PD
(ii) T1
(iii)T2
MR images controlled by operator:
(iv) TE (Time to echo)
(v) TR (Time to Repeat)
MR signal arising from a voxel (brightness of the
pixel) depends on:
(vi) PD in the voxel
(vii)How far Mz has recovered from the previous
900 pulse when it is tipped by the next 900
pulse (i.e. T1 compared to TR)
(viii)How far Mxy has decayed when the echo is 17
TR and TE
• TE: time b/w the peak of the 900 pulse and the
peak of echo
formed; 1800 RF pulse occurs at ½ of the
echo time
TR: TE
Repetition time (TR) is the interval
between two
successive excitations of the same slice/ length
of the
relaxation period between two excitation
Longitudinal and transverse magnetization relax
pulses
due to T1 and T2 effects TE and TR can be used
to control amount of “weighting” of these effects
in an image
• TE & TR are chosen so that pixel brightness
depends on one
of the 3 combinations of (i) PD (ii) T1 and
(ii) T2 18
T1-weighted image
When effects from T2 relaxation are minimized (curves not
widely separated) and effects from T1 relaxation are maximized
(curves widely separated)
T2 weighted
image
When effects from T1 relaxation are minimized and T2 relaxation
effects are maximized (curves widely separated)
PD or spin density
weighting
If both T1 and T2 effects are
minimized
19
TR and T1
contrast
20
T1 weighted
waiting for
contrast only a short
amount of
time before
measuring the
signal (a short
TR) a large
difference b/w
the
magnetization
of tissues
If a longer time is allowed to pass (a longer TR)
develop
difference b/w the signal amplitudes of tissues ↓ :
thus, a shorter TR enhances differences in signal
arising from differences in the T1 of tissues (even
though a longer TR would provide more
magnetization from both tissues) using a 21
Short T1 and long T1
images
22
T1 – weighted image
T1 weighted contrast:
Different tissues have
different rates of T1
relaxation. If an image
is obtained at a time
when the relaxation
curves are widely
separated: T1 –
weighted contrast will
be MAXIMIZED
white matter: very short T1 time & relaxes rapidly (contributes to lighter pixels)
CSF: long T1 & relaxes slowly (contributes to darker pixels)
gray matter: intermediate T1 & relaxes at
an intermediate rate (contributes to
intermediate shades of gray)
23
TE and T2 contrast
24
T2 weighted
contrast
waiting for only a
short amount of
time before
measuring the
signal (a short
TE) not much
difference b/w the
signal amplitudes
of tissues develop
If a longer time is allowed to pass (a longer TE)
a larger difference b/w the signal amplitudes of
tissues develop : thus, a longer TE enhances
differences in signal arising from differences in
the T2 of tissues (even though a shorter TE would
provide higher signal from both tissues) using a 25
Short T2 and long T2
images
This is why CSF with its longer T2 (like water)
is brighter on T2-weighted images compared
with brain tissue
26
T2 – weighted image
T2 weighted contrast:
Different tissues have
different rates of T2
relaxation. If an image is
created at a time when the
transverse magnetization
(relaxation) curves are
widely separated then
high contrast between the
tissues; T2 – weighted contrast
will be MAXIMIZED
white matter: short T2 & relaxes rapidly (contributes to darker pixels)
CSF: long T2 & relaxes slowly (contributes to lighter pixels)
gray matter: intermediate T2 & relaxes at
an intermediate rate (contributes to
intermediate shades of gray)
27
PD weighted image
Long TR: minimizes
signal differences
due to T1
differences b/w
tissues provides
more magnetization
to recover in the z-
direction after each
signal measurement
Short TE: minimizes
signal differences
due to T2
PD differences b/w
weighting tissues provides a
higher signal level
since less decay of 29
T1, T2 and PD weighting effects
T1- TR – Short T1 =
weighted SHORT BRIGHT
TE –
SHORT
T2- TE – LONG Long T2 =
weighted TR – LONG BRIGHT
PD TE – High PD =
weighted SHORT BRIGHT
TR – LONG
30
Signal intensities of different tissues
on T1 - and T2- weighted images
31
MRI brain
IMAGE CONTRAST IMAGE CONTRAST IMAGE CONTRAST
PD T1 T2
PD weighted images not often preferred in MRI;
since PD does not differ very much from one
tissue to the next hence contrast between
tissues low
32
PD, T1 and T2 weighted images
depicts little
relatively highlights the
contrast
bright grey CSF
between
matter and tissues
dark CSF
33