Interactive fast spin‐echo imaging

It is shown that a spin‐echo sequence may be used to acquire T2‐weighted, high‐resolution, high‐SNR sections at quasi‐real‐time frame rates for interactive, diagnostic imaging. A single‐shot fast spin‐echo sequence was designed which employs driven equilibrium to realign transverse magnetization remaining at the final spin echo. Driven equilibrium is shown to improve T2 contrast at a given TR, or conversely to reduce TR by approximately 1000 msec and thus increase temporal resolution while maintaining a given level of contrast. Wiener demodulation of k‐space data prior to reconstruction is shown to reduce blurring caused by T2‐decay while constraining noise often associated with other inverse filters. Images are continuously acquired, reconstructed, and displayed at rates of one image every one to two seconds, while section position and contrast may be altered interactively. The clinical utility of this method is demonstrated with applications to dynamic pelvic floor imaging and interactive obstetric imaging. Magn Reson Med 44:339–348, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.