Spoiling of transverse magnetization in steady‐state sequences

Abstract

A detailed analysis is presented of a method to eliminate transverse magnetization prior to each rf excitation in pulse sequences with TR < T₂. It is shown that artifact‐free images with high T₁ contrast can be obtained only if a phase shift that is incremented during each TR interval is applied to the transverse magnetization. Computer simulations are used to show that when this phase increment is 117°, the steady‐state transverse magnetization prior to each rf pulse is nulled over a wide range of T₁, T₂, and rf tip angles, resulting in optimal T₁, contrast. Such nulling of steady‐state transverse magnetization cannot be obtained by using large gradient pulses, or gradients of random or linearly incremented amplitude. Images of phantoms and human subjects confirm the theoretical predictions. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.