Patent ID: 6700375
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:an RF pulse application unit for applying an RF pulse to an imaging region; a gradient magnetic field application unit for applying a gradient magnetic field to the imaging region; and a control unit means for controlling the RF pulse application unit and the gradient magnetic field application unit according to a pulse sequence, said pulse sequence including: (a) applying an excitation RF pulse and a selection gradient magnetic field for selecting and exciting a spin within a desired region in a subject, (b) applying refocusing RF pulses for generating a plurality of echo signals by successively refocusing the excited spin several times, (c) applying a first phase encoding gradient magnetic field for providing a phase encoding of a different value to each of said plurality of echo signals, and (d) repeating said steps (a) to (c) while applying a second phase encoding gradient magnetic field with a varying value in a predetermined axis different from an axis of said first phase encoding gradient magnetic field, and said pulse sequence applying the second phase encoding gradient magnetic field immediately before each of the refocusing RF pulses, and applying a spoiler gradient magnetic field of a predetermined amount in the same axis as said predetermined axis between each of the refocusing RF pulses and each of the echo signals so that application of the spoiler gradient magnetic field is separated in time from application of the second phase encoding gradient magnetic field, and all the gradient magnetic fields applied in the same axis as said predetermined axis satisfying a phase condition of a CPMG method.