System and method for variable-flip-angle 3D spiral-in-out TSE/space using echo-reordering and concomitant gradient compensation

A computerized system for gathering three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data using spiral-in-out encoding trajectories from a k-space encoding orientation and a spoiler gradient direction, the system comprising:

• a source of a magnetic gradient connected to a computer having a processor and computer memory to implement steps comprising:
• calculating a variable flip angle radio frequency (RF) series for use as refocusing pulses, wherein the RF series comprises a plurality of refocusing RF pulses;
• applying a spoiler gradient waveform along the spoiler gradient direction, wherein the computer alternately adds and subtracts partition encoding waveforms to the spoiler gradient waveform;
• reading MRI data with the computer for each encoding step associated with the k-space encoding orientation during an MRI sequence further comprising:
• inserting a spiral-in gradient before a first refocusing RF pulse from the RF sequence;
• overlapping a prewinder lobe for the encoding trajectory with the spoiler gradient waveform having the partition encoding waveforms added therein;
• and
• overlapping a rewinder lobe for the encoding trajectory with the spoiler gradient waveform having the partition encoding waveforms subtracted there from.