title: Imaging with positive T1-contrast using superstimulated echoes.
abstract: This article presents the basic principles of the superstimulated echo mechanism and shows preliminary results of its application to T1-weighted imaging with positive T1-contrast. A superstimulated echo scheme uses a preparation of square-wave modulated, periodically inverted z-magnetization, which after signal evolution during the mixing time TM is fully converted into transverse magnetization. This avoids the 50% signal loss of a conventional stimulated echo. Furthermore, its implementation as a preparation module for standard turbo spin echo (TSE) imaging allows producing images with positive T1-contrast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. juergen.hennig@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: Kamil A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Il'yasov
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weigel
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity