J Korean Soc Magn Reson Med.  2009 Jun;13(1):9-14.

T1-, T2-weighted, and FLAIR Imaging: Clinical Application

• Kim JH

Abstract

T1-, and T2-weighted imagings and FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) imaging are fundamental imaging methods in the brain. T1-weighted imaging is a spin-echo sequence with short TR and short TE and produces the tissue contrast by different T1 relaxation times. In other words, short TR maximizes the difference of the longituidinal magnetization recovery between the tissues. T2-weighted imaging is a spin-echo sequence with long TR and long TE and produces the tissue contrast by different T2 relaxation times. Long TE maximizes the difference of the transverse magnetization decay between the tissues. FLAIR is an inversion recovery sequence using 180 degree inversion pulse. 2500 msec of inversion time is applied to suppress the CSF signal.

Keyword

Spin-echo image; FLAIR image

MeSH Terms

Brain
Magnets
Relaxation