Patent ID: 8391951

Claim:
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising: a gradient coil configured to apply a gradient pulse; a transmitting coil configured to transmit a radio frequency (RF) pulse; and a coil control device configured to control the gradient coil and the transmitting coil such that a first pulse sequence is executed to: make an absolute value of longitudinal magnetization of a first background tissue and an absolute value of longitudinal magnetization of a second background tissue longer in T1 value than the first background tissue smaller than an absolute value of longitudinal magnetization of arterial blood of a subject; acquire magnetic resonance signals from the subject; set, using a first RF pulse, the longitudinal magnetization of the second background tissue existing in a first region to a positive value and set the longitudinal magnetization of the arterial blood existing in a second region to a negative value; and set, using a second RF pulse, the longitudinal magnetization of the second background tissue existing in the first region to a negative value that approaches null during a waiting time between the first and second RF pulses, and set the longitudinal magnetization of the arterial blood existing in the second region to a positive value.