A method of determining longitudinal spin relaxation time or imaging longitudinal spin relaxation time or producing images which substantially reflect longitudinal spin relaxation time contrast. One of the first RF pulses is applied to the specimen to produce a corresponding first MR signal and first MR information is acquired from the first MR signal corresponding to the RF pulse. The first MR signal is dephased and one of the second RF pulses is applied to the specimen to produce a corresponding second MR signal. Second MR information is acquired from the second MR signal corresponding to the second RF pulse and the first and second MR information is delivered to a processor. The processor determines a ratio from the first and second MR information and determines the longitudinal spin relaxation time from the ratio.
Associated apparatus is disclosed.