Patent ID: 8022704

Claim:
A method, implemented at least in part by a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, for producing a magnetic resonance image of an object having a short T 2 relaxation time, the method comprising: with the magnetic imaging scanner, applying a pulse sequence to the object, wherein the pulse sequence comprises: a slab-selective radiofrequency pulse; a slab-selective gradient pulse; a plurality of variable duration slice encoding gradient pulses; a plurality of first encoding gradient pulses; and a plurality of second encoding gradient pulses, wherein the first and second gradient pulses are one of the following: spiral encoding gradient pulses; and spiral-like encoding gradient pulses; detecting a magnetic resonance signal associated with the object, wherein the detection of the magnetic resonance signal occurs concurrently with: the application of one of the plurality of first encoding gradient pulses; and the application of one of the plurality of second encoding gradient pulses; and reconstructing the magnetic resonance image based on the magnetic resonance signal.