Diffusion weighted preparatory sequence for magnetic resonance imaging pulse sequence

A method for producing a diffusion-weighted image with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the steps comprising:

• a) performing a preparation pulse sequence with the MRI system that diffusion weights longitudinal magnetization in a subject, the preparation pulse sequence including:
• a)i) applying a radio frequency (RF) excitation pulse to produce transverse spin magnetization;
• a)ii) applying a first moment nulled diffusion weighting gradient waveform to diffusion weight the transverse spin magnetization;
• a)iii) applying an RF excitation pulse to produce diffusion-weighted longitudinal spin magnetization from the diffusion weighted transverse magnetization;
• and
• a)iv) applying an RF refocusing pulse such that the diffusion weighted transverse magnetization is refocused when the RF excitation pulse is produced in step a)iii);
• b) performing an imaging pulse sequence following step a);
• c) repeating steps a) and b) as necessary to acquire a set of data from which an image can be reconstructed;
• and
• d) reconstructing a diffusion-weighted image from the acquired set of data.