Rapid determination of a relaxation time

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer-readable storage medium configured to store a program module that, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to:

• apply a polarizing field and an excitation sequence to a sample;
• measure a signal associated with the sample for a time duration that is less than a magnitude of a relaxation time associated with the sample;
• and
• calculate the relaxation time based on a difference between the measured signal and a predicted signal of the sample, wherein the predicted signal is based on a forward model, the polarizing field and the excitation sequence.

A system, comprising:

• a generating device configured to generate a field;
• a measurement device configured to perform measurements;
• a processor, coupled to the generating device, the measurement device and memory, configured to execute a program module;
• and
• the memory, coupled to the processor, configured to store the program module that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to:
• apply, using the generating device, a polarizing field and an excitation sequence to a sample;
• measure, using the measurement device, a signal associated with the sample for a time duration that is less than a magnitude of a relaxation time associated with the sample;
• and
• calculate the relaxation time based on a difference between the measured signal and a predicted signal of the sample, wherein the predicted signal is based on a forward model, the polarizing field and the excitation sequence.