Outline

5.1 Pulse Sequences & Image Contrast for MRI

• Timing diagrams
Timing Diagrams for Spin Echo
pulse sequences including: spin echo, fast spin echo,
• What is a pulse sequence?
inversion recovery, gradient echo and echo planar imaging • What is a spin echo?
• Review Spin Echo & Fast spin echo
• Inversion Recovery & Fast IR
Carolyn Kaut Roth, RT (R)(MR)(CT)(M)(CV) FSMRT • Gradient Echo
CEO Imaging Education Associates
www.imaginged.com candi@imaginged.com

Slide # 2

What contrast characteristics in MR? How are images acquired in MR?

• Pulse Sequences
• What contrast is available on CT –SE
• What contrast is available on MRI –FSE
–T1 Axial CT –IR
–T2 –Fast IR
–PD –GE
–EPI T2 CSE T2 TSE (FSE) T2* EPI
12 minute scan 3 minute scan 30 second scan
T1 PD T2

Slide # 3 Slide # 4

To create MR images Timing Diagram

RF Pulse

Slice
• The patient is placed in selection gradient

the magnetic field Phase

Encoding gradient

–to align the spins

Frequency

• The RF pulse is applied encoding gradient

–to excite the spins MR signal

–at the Larmor Frequency

• A pulse sequence is… a sequence of pulses
• A timing diagram is the order and timing of pulses

Slide # 5 Slide # 6

1
ECG What is this?

TR (Repetition Time)

900 900

Slide # 7 Slide # 8

Timing Diagram Short TR & Long TR Imaging

TR (Repetition Time)

Short TR
TR, is the time
between 900
RF Pulse 1800
RF pulses
900
Slice
selection gradient

Phase
These Encoding gradient
lines
represent
gradient Frequency Long TR
encoding gradient
pulses 1800

MR signal
900
MR signal
induced in the
receiver coil

Slide # 9 Slide # 10

Timing Diagrams - Gradients Slice Selection

RF Pulse
• If the magnetic field is
Gradients Slice
homogeneous, the
SS (Z)
selection gradient
frequency is the same
Phase
Encoding gradient
… head to feet
PE (Y)

FE (X)
Frequency • If the RF is applied…
encoding gradient
in this case the entire Homogeneous magnetic field
MR signal body would be excited The frequency is the same
from the head to the feet

Slide # 11 Slide # 12

2
Selective Excitation Phase & Frequency Encoding

Gradient
•To excite a location S to I

within the imager, within • Once the slice is selected…

the body.. • Encoding along the other
axes,
• A magnetic field
–With gradients Axial slice selection
gradient is applied Homogeneous magnetic field
•R to L Gradient
gradient
• The RF pulse is applied •A to P R to L

Gradient
that matches a location –For encoding A to P
•Phase encoding
•Frequency encoding

Axial slice
Homogeneous magnetic field
Slide # 13With a linear gradient field applied Slide # 14

Timing Diagram- Signal MR Excitation Relaxation

RF Pulse
Bo 900 RF Pulse Z
Z Z
Slice
selection gradient Mz
Phase
Encoding gradient

Mxy
Frequency X X
encoding gradient MR Signal
FID

Y RF
MR signal Alignment Y Excitation Receiver
MR signal coil

Relaxation

Slide # 15 Slide # 16

Timing Diagram - TE T2* Decay

TR (Repetition Time)
RF pulse
T2* decay

Mxy

coil

Axial T2* Brain Image

TE (Echo Time)
In phase Partially dephased Completely dephased

Image with artifact Cleaned up the “SIC” Mx,y = transverse magentization

Slide # 17 Slide # 18

3
Runners on the Race Spin Echo - Runners on the Race

1800
1800
900
900 Susceptibility artifacts spin echo, less artifacts
FID
FID
Echo

I’m the Thought

fast I was
Start guy Start winning
I’m on
your
heels Gotcha!

Inhomogenieties
Phase #1 start together Runners turn 180’ Phase #2 after the 180
and get apart Phase #3 cross Turn around apart
Phase #4 starting line, together
get apart again
Slide # 19 Slide # 20

T2* and T2 Decay Is Susceptibility artifact always a bad thing?

T2 decay
T2 decay
T2*
T2*

echo
echo
FID FID

Axial T2* Brain Axial T2 Brain

Axial T2* Brain Axial T2 Brain
Slide # 21 Slide # 22

Gradient Echo - Runners on the Race Long TE – Spin Echo Imaging

1800
450
FID
900

I’m the ½ TE ½ TE
fast
Start guy Start T2WI axial

I’m on
your
heels
FID
echo
Inhomogenieties
Phase #2 runners Phase #4
Phase #1 start together get apart again
and get apart change places
Phase #3 cross finish
line, together Long TE
Slide # 23 Slide # 24

4
Short TE – Spin Echo Imaging A Few Fun Facts about T1 & T2

1800
We cannot
change….
900 T1 recovery
T2 decay
unless we
change
½ TE ½ TE Field strength
Temperature
or Add contrast
agents!

FID
echo

Short TE

Slide # 25 Slide # 26

A Few Fun Facts about TR & TE A Few Fun Facts about T1 recovery

Long TR
T1 recovery
T1 times at
1.5T
Are in the
neighborhood
of …
2000 ms for
water
Long TE
150 ms for fat

Short TR

TR
We can change
TR & TE
And…
TR goes with T1
Short TE
TE goes with T2
Slide # 27 Slide # 28

A Few Fun Facts about T2 Decay A Few Fun Facts about Image Contrast

We cannot T1 times at
change…. 1.5T
T2 decay T1 recovery Are in the
T2 decay neighborhood
unless we of …
change
Field strength 2000 ms for
Temperature water
or Add contrast 150 ms for fat
agents!

TE T2 times at T2 times at
1.5T We can change 1.5T
Are in the Are in the
neighborhood TR & TE neighborhood
of … And… of …
200 ms for 200 ms for
water TR goes with T1 water
50 ms for fat TE goes with T2 50 ms for fat
Slide # 29 Slide # 30

5
Let’s make a T1 image Let’s make a T2 image

T1 times at T1 times at
1.5T T2WI 1.5T
Are in the Are in the
T1WI neighborhood neighborhood
of … of …
2000 ms for Long TR (4000 ms) 2000 ms for
Short TR (500 ms) water
150 ms for fat Long TE (100 ms) water
150 ms for fat
Short TE (20 ms) Bright water
Bright fat
Short TR Long TR

T2 times at T2 times at
We can change 1.5T We can change 1.5T
TR & TE Are in the Are in the
neighborhood TR & TE neighborhood
And… of … And… of …
TR goes with T1 200 ms for 200 ms for
water TR goes with T1 water
TE goes with T2 50 ms for fat TE goes with T2 50 ms for fat
Short TE Long TE

Slide # 31 Slide # 32

Let’s make a PD image Image Contrast Parameters

T1 times at
1.5T
PDWI Are in the
neighborhood
of …

Long TR (4000 ms) 2000 ms for

water
150 ms for fat
Short TE (20 ms)
Bright fat & water

Long TR
T2 times at T1WI PDWI T2WI
1.5T
We can change Are in the Short TR Long TR Long TR
TR & TE
And…
neighborhood
of … Short TE Short TE Long TE
TR goes with T1
200 ms for
water Bright fat, short T1 time Bright fat & water Bright water, long T2 time
TE goes with T2 50 ms for fat
Short TE

Slide # 33 Slide # 34

Timing Diagram – RF and Gradient Pulses What is a Pulse Sequence?

TR (Repetition Time)

TR, is the time

between 900
RF pulses RF Pulse

Slice
selection gradient
Spin echo family
Phase
These T1Weighted Image PD Weighted Image T2 Weighted Image
Encoding gradient Longer
lines SE SE SE
Scan
represent (TSE) FSE (TSE) FSE FSE
times
IR FLAIR STIR
gradient Frequency Better
encoding gradient Fast IR Fast FLAIR Fast STIR
pulses quality
Looks like PD Looks like T2
Gradient echo family
MR signal (T1 FFE) GrE spoiled (PD FFE) GrE T2* Weighted Image
MR signal Faster TOF MRA EPI Flair (T2* FFE) GrE
induced in the Scan Enhanced MRA PC MRA
receiver coil times
EPI
lower
Perfusion
quality
TE (Echo Time) Diffusion

Slide # 35 Slide # 36

6
Timing Diagram – Spin Echo Short TR & Long TR Imaging

TR (Repetition Time)

TR, is the time Short TR

between 900
RF pulses RF Pulse
1800
900
Slice
selection gradient

These
lines Phase
Encoding gradient
represent
gradient Long TR
pulses Frequency
encoding gradient 1800
900
TE is the time
MR signal
to the echo

TE (Echo Time)

Slide # 37 Slide # 38

Long TE – Spin Echo Imaging Short TE – Spin Echo Imaging

1800 1800

900 900

½ TE ½ TE ½ TE ½ TE

T2WI axial

FID FID
echo echo

Short TE
Long TE
Slide # 39 Slide # 40

Dual Echo Imaging (2 for 1) Image Contrast Parameters

1800 1800

900

Proton density-TE1 T2WI-TE2

T2 decay
FID echo echo T1WI PDWI T2WI
@ 1.5T @ 1.5T @ 1.5T
Short TR (500 ms) Long TR (4000 ms = 4 seconds) Long TR (4000 ms = 4 seconds)
Short TE (20 ms or less) Short TE (20 ms or less) Long TE (100 ms)
TE 1 Bright fat Bright fat & water Bright water
TE 2 Scan time about 2 minutes Scan time about 17 minutes Scan time about 17 minutes
With 2 signal averages With 2 signal averages With 2 signal averages

Scan time for SE = TR * #PE’s * NSA

Slide # 41 Slide # 42

7
Outline Spin Echo Timing Diagram & K-space

TR

frequency
RF Pulse
p
• Timing diagrams Slice selection
gradient
h
a
• What is a pulse sequence? Phase
s
encoding e
• What is a spin echo? gradient

• Review Spin Echo & Fast spin echo Frequency

encoding gradient
• Inversion Recovery & Fast IR K-space = raw data
• Gradient Echo MR signal

TE
Scan time = TR x PE’s x NSA

Slide # 43 Slide # 44

Dual Echo Imaging & K-space Fast Spin Echo Imaging & K-space (1 in ½ the time)

1800 1800 1800 1800

900 900

K-space-TE1 K-space-TE2
K-space (TSE)
FSE
TE 2 image
T2 decay Twice as fast
FID echo echo

TE 1 Effective TE
TE 2 Target TE
Turbo spin echo (TSE)
Fast Spin Echo (FSE) Rapid Acquisition
Recalled Echo (RARE)
Proton density-TE1 T2WI-TE2
Slide # 45 Slide # 46
T2WI

Fast Spin Echo Imaging for PDWI Fast Spin Echo Imaging for T2WI

echo 3 echo 1

Phase
echo 1 Phase echo 3
Encoding
Gradient Encoding
Gradient echo 4
echo 2

echo 1 echo 2 echo3 echo4 echo 2

echo 4
Frequency 20 ms 40ms 60 ms 80ms echo 1 echo 2 echo3 echo4
Encoding Frequency 20 ms 40ms 60 ms 80ms
Gradient Encoding
Gradient

TR * #PE’s * NSA TR * #PE’s * NSA

Scan time (FSE) = Scan time (FSE) =
ETL ETL

Slide # 47 Slide # 48

8
 Single Shot Fast Spin Echo Imaging for T2WI (SSFSE) Image Contrast Parameters - fast spin echo

Abnormalities seen on
Ultrasound

FDA OK for pregnancy

if… benefit outweighs
the risk T2WI
T1WI PDWI
@ 1.5T @ 1.5T @ 1.5T
If mommy fits Short TR (500 ms) Long TR (4000 ms = 4 seconds) Long TR (4000 ms = 4 seconds)
Short TE (20 ms or less) Short TE (20 ms or less) Long TE (100 ms)
Bright fat Bright fat & water Bright water
Scan time about 1 minute Scan time about 8.5 minutes Scan time about 8.5 minutes
With 2 signal averages With 2 signal averages With 2 signal averages
Fetal MRI ETL of 2 ETL of 2 ETL of 2
Scan time for SE = TR * #PE’s * NSA
Slide # 49 Slide # 50 ETL

Outline Spin Echo vs Inversion Recovery

TR
1800

900

• Timing diagrams FID echo

• What is a pulse sequence?

• What is a spin echo? TI
TR
• Review Spin Echo & Fast spin echo 1800 1800

• Inversion Recovery & Fast IR 900

• Gradient Echo
FID echo

Slide # 51 Slide # 52

Why an initializing 1800 pulse Inversion Recovery – STIR (Short Tau Inversion Recovery)

TI
T1 recovery from a 900 pulse
TR
1800 1800 TR
1800

900 900

TR FID echo
FID echo
T1 recovery from a 1800 pulse
Compared to the 900 pulse TE
TI
TR
1800 1800

900

FID echo
TI
T1 Spin Echo lesion STIR

Slide # 53 Slide # 54

9
Why an initializing 1800 pulse STIR is NOT fatsat

T1 recovery from a 900 pulse

TR

1800

900

FID echo

T1 recovery from a 1800 pulse

Compared to the 900 pulse
TI
TR

1800 1800

900

FID echo
Bone contusion
Short TI (fat crosses null point, suppressed)
STIR will suppress gadolinium enhancing lesions

Slide # 55 Slide # 56

FATSAT FSE vs STIR Inversion Recovery – FLAIR (Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery)

TI
TR
1800
1800

900

FID echo

TE

FSE STIR
Slide # 57 PD FLAIR Slide # 58 T1

Why an initializing 1800 pulse Fast Inversion Recovery – scan time

T1 recovery from a 900 pulse Lymes disease

TR

1800
echo 1

900 echo 4

FID echo
T1SE echo 3

T1 recovery from a 1800 pulse

Compared to the 900 pulse FLAIR
echo 2
TI
TR

1800 1800 1800 1

900 900

FLAIR TR * #PE’s * NSA

Scan time (FSE-IR) =
Long TI (water crosses null point, suppressed)
FID echo
ETL T1SE

Slide # 59 Slide # 60

10
 Outline Spin Echo vs Gradient Echo

1800
900 Flip angle
RF
RF

Gz
Gz
• Timing diagrams
Gy
• What is a pulse sequence? Gy
Bipolar Gradient
• What is a spin echo? Gx
Readout
Gx
Positive lobe

Negative lobe
• Review Spin Echo & Fast spin echo Signal Signal
• Inversion Recovery & Fast IR
• Gradient Echo

Slide # 61 Slide # 62

Gradient Echo – runners on the race Susceptibility Artifacts on Gradient Echo

450

Gx Positive lobe
Readout
Gradient FID
Negative lobe

Gradient echo
I’m the
fast
Start guy Start
I’m on
your
heels

Inhomogenieties
Phase #1 start together Phase #3 cross finish Phase #4
and get apart Phase #2 runners line, together get apart again Axial T2* Brain Axial T2 Brain
change places

Slide # 63 Slide # 64

Flip Angle and Image Contrast Flip Angle and Signal Quality (SNR)

As Flip increases
Flip angle goes with TR
SNR increases
TR goes with T1 100 flip 200 flip 300 flip
To a point
Big flip, more T1 300 Flip
100 Flip Ernst Angle
Little flip, less T1
angle for optimum SNR
400 flip 500 flip 600 flip

600 Flip 900 Flip 700 flip 800 flip 900 flip

Slide # 65 Slide # 66

11
Flip angle Steady State

Another
Bo Z RF
RF

Bo Mz
Z Z
RF
Mz
X
A little Another
Thermal Excitation relaxation Excitation
Y Equilibrium 450 flip angle occurs 0
45 flip angle

X X Steady State is the condition whereby

Everything that relaxes is flipped again

Transverse magnetization
SS images demonstrate T2* effects
Y Y
Bright fluid

Slide # 67 Slide # 68

Steady State Imaging Steady State VS Spoiled Gradient Echoes

FIESTA – IAC’s
Fast Imaging Employing a steady STAte

Steady State “Spoiled” (spoil away transverse)

T2* FFE T1 FFE
Steady State images Shaded Surface Display 3D reformats
Coherent Gradient Echo Incoherent Gradient Echo

Slide # 69 Courtesy of Munich - Pasing Slide # 70

3D Steady State vs 3D Spoiled Gradient Echoes Dynamic Enhanced (T1) Spoiled Gradient Echoes

Pre gad

1st pass
3D Steady State
T2* GrE images
Spoiled Gradient Echoes 2nd pass
T1 GrE images

3rd pass

Slide # 71 Slide # 72

12
Chemical Shift Artifact on Gradient Echoes Spin Echo vs Gradient Echo (Flowing Blood)

Gradient
Gradien
BO Induced

in phase out of phase

Gated Spin Echo Gated Gradient Echo

Slide # 73 Slide # 74

Cardiac Perfusion Time of Flight (TOF) MR Angiography (MRA) – T1 Gradient Echo

3D Volume

Source Images Source Images

Reformatted
MIP Image

Collapsed Image

Emory University, Atlanta, GA 3D TOF Reformatted MIP Image 2D TOF

Slide # 75 Subendocardial Defect Slide # 76

Phase Contrast (PC) MR Angiography (MRA) – T2 Gradient Echo Phase Contrast (PC) MR Angiography (MRA) – CSF Flow

Diastole-
Diastole- dark flow Systole – white flow

3D PC
Axial Acquisition

Sag 2D PC

No flow 4th vent - hydrocephalus Slow flow HA’

HA’s

Slide # 77 Slide # 78

13
EPI Speed Compared to FSE Single-Shot vs. Multi Shot EPI

FSE
FSE 180 echo
echo 180 echo
echo 180 echo
echo 180 echo
echo Single Shot:
180 180 180 180
•Single-Shot EPI fills all lines of Whole brain
90
90 k-space in a single TR period acquired in
4 seconds
•Fastest Scan Times 128 x 128 matrix
ESP = 5 - 20 ms
•Most useful for functional
imaging techniques
Time < 500 Ms

EPI
EPI echo echo echo echo echo echo echo
•Multi-Shot requires multiple
180
180 echo echo echo echo echo echo echo
passes through k-space to fill all
90
90 phase lines
•Reduced artifacts Multi-Shot:

ESP = 0.5- 4 ms
•Allows for higher spatial Whole brain
acquired in
resolution 90 Seconds
Time < 100 Ms •Longer scan times 512 x 256 matrix

Slide # 79 6 Slide # 80
6

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging b-value = 0

Diffusion Gradients Sensitize the Image
Contrast to the Molecular Motion of
Extracelluar Water

The greater the amount of motion, the darker the resultant MR signal

Tissue Sample A Tissue Sample B

Normal Diffusion Restricted Diffusion 9 180 T2-weighted Image
0 (b-value = 0)
Edema results in restricted diffusion

Slide # 81 Slide # 82

b-value = 1000 Diffusion Weighting and b-value

b-value determines the strength of the diffusion gradients

Increasing the b-value increased diffusion weighting

b-value = 0 b-value = 500 b-value = 1000

9 180 Diffusion-weighted Image
0 (b-value = 1000)

Slide # 83 Slide # 84

14
Isotropic Diffusion Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC)
ADC expresses the amount of diffusion

Individual Diffusion Creating an ADC image (or map) results

Measurements Isotropic in images where the pixel intensity
Diffusion-Weighted represents abnormal ADC and
Image eliminates high signal from
Mathematical "T2 shine-through"
Combination Radiology 2001

Mathematical
Calculation

b-value = 0 b-value = 1000 ADC map

T2-weighted Diffusion-weighted + T2 Reduced ADC = Reduced Signal

Slide # 85 Slide # 86

Perfusion Acquisition Perfusion Contrast

Gradient Echo EPI Acquisition Small Magnetic Concentrated
Field Gradient Gadolinium
Gd Results in a
repea repea repea Gd Larger Magnetic
...
t
...
t
...t
Brain Cell
Field Gradient
Gd Gd T2* shortening
results in loss of
Time
Series
Gd washes out of MR signal
blood stream

Gd changes
T2* of blood
Gradient Echo EPI
TE = 60 Gradient Echo EPI
Up to > 400 TE = 60
images
Acquired at Peak Bolus

Slide # 87 Slide # 88

Perfusion of Stroke BOLD (fMRI)

Blood Oxygen Level Dependent

•When neurons fire, blood flow is increased to that area
of the brain
•Oxygen level increases
•Local magnetic field changes occur due to the
paramagnetic characteristics of oxygenated blood
•Slight change in MR signal Bilateral Finger Tapping
•1% - 2% at 1.5 T
•4% - 6% at 3.0 T
•Area of signal change indicates area of activity
•Images processed on workstation and data is
superimposed over higher resolution anatomic image

Normal Abnormal
Image courtesy Stanford University

Slide # 89 Slide # 90

15
Outline

5.1 Pulse Sequences & Image Contrast for MRI

Timing Diagrams for Spin Echo

• Timing diagrams pulse sequences including: spin echo, fast spin echo,
• What is a pulse sequence? inversion recovery, gradient echo and echo planar imaging

• What is a spin echo? Thank you for your attention!

• Review Spin Echo & Fast spin echo Click to take your post test and get your credits
• Inversion Recovery & Fast IR
• Gradient Echo Carolyn Kaut Roth, RT (R)(MR)(CT)(M)(CV) FSMRT
CEO Imaging Education Associates
www.imaginged.com candi@imaginged.com

Slide # 91

16