Single shot magnetic resonance method to measure diffusion, flow and/or motion

A single-shot method for obtaining magnetic resonance signals from a body, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a static magnetic field to the body to align nuclear spins;
• (b) applying a first radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse to the body to tip nuclear spins;
• (c) applying, after said application of said first RF excitation pulse, a first gradient pulse to the body;
• (d) applying a second RF excitation pulse to the body;
• (e) applying, after said application of said second RF excitation pulse, a series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, each gradient pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width;
• (f) detecting a series of gradient-recalled echoes created by said series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, said series of gradient recalled echoes including a particular spin echo;
• and
• (g) ratioing a pair of corresponding ones of said gradient recalled echoes, with said corresponding ones of said pair of gradient recalled echoes symmetric in time with respect to said particular spin echo.

An apparatus for obtaining magnetic resonance signals from a body, comprising:

• (a) means for applying a first radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse to the body to tip nuclear spins;
• (b) means for applying, after said application of said first RF excitation pulse, a first gradient pulse to the body;
• (c) means for applying a second RF excitation pulse to the body;
• (d) means for applying, after said application of said second RF excitation pulse, a series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, each gradient pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width;
• (e) means for detecting a series of gradient-recalled echoes created by said series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, said series of gradient recalled echoes including a particular spin echo;
• and
• (f) means for ratioing a pair of corresponding ones of said gradient recalled echoes, with said corresponding ones of said pair of gradient recalled echoes symmetric in time with respect to said particular spin echo.

An apparatus for obtaining magnetic resonance signals from a body, comprising:

• (a) means for applying a static magnetic field to the body to align nuclear spins;
• (b) means for applying a first radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse to the body to tip nuclear spins;
• (c) means for applying, after said application of said first RF excitation pulse, a first gradient pulse to the body;
• (d) means for applying a second RF excitation pulse to the body;
• (e) means for applying, after said application of said second RF excitation pulse, a series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, each gradient pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width;
• (f) means for detecting a series of gradient-recalled echoes created by said series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, said series of gradient recalled echoes including a particular spin echo;
• and
• (g) means for ratioing a pair of corresponding ones of said gradient recalled echoes, with said corresponding ones of said pair of gradient recalled echoes symmetric in time with respect to said particular spin echo.

A single-shot method for obtaining magnetic resonance signals from a body, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a first radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse to the body to tip nuclear spins;
• (b) applying, after said application of said first RF excitation pulse, a first gradient pulse to the body;
• (c) applying a second RF excitation pulse to the body;
• (d) applying, after said application of said second RF excitation pulse, a series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, each gradient pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width;
• (e) detecting both an amplitude of and a relative phase between each echo of a series of gradient-recalled echoes created by said series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, said series of gradient recalled echoes including a particular spin echo;
• and
• (f) extracting diffusion information out of ratios of pairs of corresponding ones of said gradient recalled echoes, with said corresponding ones of said pair of gradient recalled echoes symmetric in time with respect to said particular spin echo.

A single-shot method for obtaining magnetic resonance signals from a body, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a first radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse to the body to tip nuclear spins;
• (b) applying, after said application of said first RF excitation pulse, a first gradient pulse to the body;
• (c) applying a second RF excitation pulse to the body;
• (d) applying, after said application of said second RF excitation pulse, a series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, each gradient pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width;
• (e) detecting both an amplitude of and a relative phase between each echo of a series of gradient-recalled echoes created by said series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, said series of gradient recalled echoes including a particular spin echo;
• (f) extracting diffusion information from the body by ratioing pairs of corresponding ones of said gradient recalled echoes, with said corresponding ones of said pair of gradient recalled echoes symmetric in time with respect to said particular spin echo;
• and
• (g) extracting flow information from the body by measuring said relative phase between successive echoes of said series of gradient recalled echoes.

An apparatus for obtaining magnetic resonance signals from a body, comprising:

• (a) means for applying a first radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulse to the body to tip nuclear spins;
• (b) means for applying, after said application of said first RF excitation pulse, a first gradient pulse to the body;
• (c) means for applying a second RF excitation pulse to the body;
• (d) means for applying, after said application of said second RF excitation pulse, a series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, each gradient pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width;
• (e) means for detecting both an amplitude of and a relative phase between echoes of a series of gradient-recalled echoes created by said series of consecutive alternating-phase gradient pulses, said series of gradient recalled echoes including a particular spin echo;
• and
• (f) means for extracting diffusion information by ratioing pairs of corresponding ones of said gradient recalled echoes, with said corresponding ones of said pair of gradient recalled echoes symmetric in time with respect to said particular spin echo.