FAQs
Frequently asked questions
 

IN BRIEF, WHAT ARE NMR AND MRI?

_As brief as possible ...

HOW MANY MR MACHINES ARE THERE?

_In the early 1980s, there were 12 machines, and everybody knew
the others. Then it went like this: ...

ARE THERE OTHER THAN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS OF MR?

_Basically, (N)MR used not to be a medical tool. The details ...

IS MR IMAGING A SAFE PROCEDURE OR ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS?

_At present, exposure to MR examination procedures below 2.0 Tesla is considered safe for patients and personnel. Operation at up to 8.0 T is not considered significant risk. There is no convincing evidence of any long-term or irreversible subacute effects of MR imaging or spectroscopy. There are, however, acute hazards ...

HOW DID MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING DEVELOP?

_A little bit about MR history ...

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THE ACRONYMS USED FOR
RAPID MR IMAGING BY DIFFERENT COMPANIES. IS THERE A LIST?

_Classification of rapid MR pulse sequences ...

CAN YOU PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF MR CONTRAST AGENTS?

_Classification of MR contrast agents ...

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FAQs

Classification of rapid MR pulse sequences

 More detailed information is available at www.magnetic-resonance.org

Some acronyms commonly used for rapid pulse sequences

Companies use different acronyms to describe certain rapid, usually gradient-echo-based techniques. Some of the acronyms mentioned are registered trade marks. Note that some acronyms such as FAST, FISP, and SSFP are used by different companies for different pulse sequences. We have included only the most common usage. This table tries to give an overview of the different families of gradient-echo sequences.

_For additional information, go to www.magnetic-resonance.org

Table 1:
Rapid imaging techniques.
Acronym
Spelled-out Name
Rapid Imaging Sequence
Balanced FFEbalanced fast field echo
CE-FASTcontrast-enhanced Fourier-acquired steady state
CE-FFE T1contrast-enhanced fast field echo (T1-weighted)
CE-FFE T2CE-FFE (T2-weighted)
CSFSEcontinguous-slice fast-acquisition spin echo
DE FGRdriven-equilibrium fast gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state
DEFAISEdual-echo fast-acquisition interleaved spin echo
DESSdouble-echo stead- state (combination of FISP and PSIF)
DFSEdouble-fast spin echo
E-SHORTsteady-state gradient echo with spin-echo sampling
FADEFASE acquisition double echo
FAMEfast-acquisition multi-echo
FASEfast spin echo
FASTFourier-acquired steady state
FATEfast turbo echo (=FADE)
FEfield echo
FEDIFfield echo with echo time set for water and fat signals in opposition
FEERfield even-echo by reversal
FESUMfield echo with echo time set for water and fat signals in phase
FFEfast field echo
FGRfast gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state
FISPfast imaging with steady precession
FLAREfast low-angle recalled echo
FLASHfast low-angle shot
FREfield-reversal echo
FSfast scan
FSEfast spin echo
F-SHORTsteady-state gradient echo based on free induction decay
FSPGRfast spoiled gradient-recalled
GEgradient echo
GFEgradient field echo
GFECgradient field echo with contrast
GRASEgradient and spin echo
GRASSgradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state
GREgradient echo (as 'generic' name); gradient-recalled echo
GRECgradient field echo with contrast
GRECOgradient-recalled echo
GRECHOgradient-recalled echo
IR FGRinversion recovery fast gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state
MESSmulti-echo single shot
MPGRmultiplanar gradient-recalled
MP-RAGEmagnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo
PFIpartial flip imaging
PSpartial saturation
PSIFreverse fast imaging with steady precession
QUESTquick echo-split imaging technique
RAM-FASTrapidly acquired magnetization-prepared Fourier-acquired steady state
RARErapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement
RF-FASTRF-spoiled Fourier-acquired steady state
RF spoiledRF-spoiled Fourier-acquired
RISErapid imaging spin echo
ROASTresonant offset averaging in the steady state
RSrapid scan
RSErapid spin echo
SHORTshort repetition technique
SMASHshort minimum-angle shot
SPGRspoiled gradient-recalled
SSFPsteady-state free precession
STAGEsmall tip angle gradient echo
STAGE:T1Wsmall tip angle gradient echo: T1-weighted
STEPstimulated echo progreessive imaging
STERFsteady-state technique with refocused free induction decay
TFE'turbo'-field echo
3D MP RAGE3D magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo
T1 FASTFourier-acquired steady state (T1-weighted)
T1 FFEcontrast-enhanced fast field echo (T1-weighted)
T2 FFEcontrast-enhanced fast field echo (T2-weighted)
TRUE FISPfast imaging with steady precession (heavily T2-weighted)
TSE'turbo' spin echo
Turbo-FE'turbo' field echo
TurboFLASH'turbo'-fast low angle shot
Turbo SE'turbo' spin echo
Turbo-SHORT'turbo' short repetition technique
  
Table 2:
Different terms for the gradient-echo pulse sequences.
* In this context, ‘contrast-enhanced’ refers to the radiofrequency pulse sequence; it does not mean enhancement with a contrast agent.
Acronym
Spelled-out Name
S-GRE (spoiled gradient-echo)
GFEgradient field-echo
CE*-FFE-T1contrast-enhanced* fast field echo with T1-weighting
FLASHfast low angle single shot
PSpartial saturation
RFS FASTRF spoiled Fourier-acquired steady-state technique
SHORTshort repetition technique
SPGRspoiled gradient recalled (spoiled GRASS)
STAGE:T1WT1-weighted small tip angle gradient-echo
T1-FASTT1-weighted Fourier-acquired steady-state technique
T1-FFET1-weighted fast field echo
R-GRE (refocused gradient-echo)
FASTFourier-acquired steady-state technique
FFEfast field echo
FISPfast imaging with steady-state precession
F-SHORTshort repetition technique based on free induction decay
GFECgradient field echo with contrast
GRASSgradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state
ROASTresonant offset averaging in the steady state
SSFPsteady-state free precession
CE-GRE (contrast-enhanced* gradient-echo)
CE-FFE (FAST)contrast-enhanced* fast field echo / FAST
PSIFreverse fast imaging with steady-state precession
SSFPsteady-state free precession

 

  
 


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