Patent ID: 7233818
Filing Date: 2007-06-19
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A magnetic resonance imaging method, comprising: applying a first excitation radio-frequency (RF) pulse along a first excitation axis to produce a first transverse magnetization; applying a first position encoding phase label to the first transverse magnetization; storing a component of the position encoded first transverse magnetization as a first stored longitudinal magnetization by applying a first storing RF pulse along a first storing axis; allowing a first mixing time interval of duration T after the first mixing time has elapsed, producing a transverse magnetization based on the first stored longitudinal magnetization; decoding the transverse magnetization produced after the first mixing time; generating a first image signal based on the decoded transverse magnetization produced after the first mixing time; applying a second excitation RF pulse along a second excitation axis to produce a second transverse magnetization; applying a second position encoding phase label to the second transverse magnetization; storing a component of the position encoded second transverse magnetization as a second stored longitudinal magnetization by applying a second storing RF pulse along a second storing axis, wherein a difference between an angle from the first excitation axis to the first storing axis and an angle from the second excitation axis to the second storing axis is not an integer multiple of 180 degrees; allowing a second mixing time of duration T after the second mixing time has elapsed, producing a transverse magnetization based on the second stored longitudinal magnetization; decoding the transverse magnetization produced after the second mixing time; generating a second image signal based on the decoded transverse magnetization produced after the second mixing time; and combining the first image signal and the second image signal to reduce a contribution associated with a complex conjugate of a phase-labeled magnetization to obtain an artifact-reduced image of a specimen.