Solid-state magnetic resonance imaging

Apparatus for acquiring data by magnetic resonance, the apparatus comprising:

• means for subjecting an object comprising a first isotope to a main magnetic field;
• means for subjecting the object to a pulse sequence comprising:
• a first magnetic field gradient pulse having a start and an end;
• a RF excitation pulse for exciting the first isotope, the RF excitation pulse being generated between the start and the end of the first magnetic field gradient pulse;
• means for acquiring RF signals emitted by the excited first isotope after the RF excitation pulse and before the end of the first magnetic field gradient pulse;
• means for processing the RF signals to generate data representative of a spatial distribution of the first isotope within the object.

A method for acquiring data by magnetic resonance, the method comprising:

• subjecting an object comprising a first isotope to a main magnetic field;
• subjecting the object to a pulse sequence comprising:
• a first magnetic field gradient pulse;
• a RF excitation pulse for exciting the first isotope;
• acquiring RF signals emitted by the excited first isotope after the RF excitation pulse, the acquisition of RF signals beginning substantially immediately following the conclusion of the RF excitation pulse;
• processing the RF signals to generate data representative of a spatial distribution of the first isotope within the object.

A method for generating a magnetic resonance image of in vivo solid-state tissue, the method comprising:

• positioning the tissue in a substantially static magnetic field;
• subjecting the tissue to magnetic gradient pulses in at least two dimensions;
• exciting first isotopes in the solid-state tissue while the tissue is subjected to the magnetic gradient pulses;
• acquiring RF signals emitted by excited first isotopes after the first isotopes have been excited, and while the tissue is subjected to the magnetic gradient pulses;
• processing the RF signals to generate data representative of a distribution of the first isotope within the solid-state tissue.

A method for determining the mineral density of bone, the method comprising:

• positioning the bone in a substantially static magnetic field;
• subjecting the bone to magnetic gradient pulses in at least two dimensions;
• exciting a first isotope in the bone while the bone is subjected to the magnetic gradient pulses;
• acquiring RF signals emitted by an excited first isotope after the first isotope has been excited, and while the bone is subjected to the magnetic gradient pulses;
• processing the RF signals to generate data representative of a spatial distribution of the first isotope within the bone,
• processing the data to determine the mineral density of the bone.

A method for generating a magnetic resonance image of an object comprising a first compound and a second compound, the method comprising:

• positioning the object in a substantially static magnetic field, a first isotope in the first compound having a first spin-lattice relaxation time T1 in the static magnetic field, and a second isotope in the second compound having a second spin-lattice relaxation time T1 greater than the first spin-lattice relaxation time T1 in the static magnetic field;
• subjecting the object to an RF excitation pulse sequence for exciting the first isotope in the first compound and the second isotope in the second compound;
• acquiring a set of RF signals emitted by the excited first isotope and the excited second isotope;
• obtaining from the set of acquired RF signals a first set of data representative of a distribution of substantially only the first compound within the object.