Pulse sequence for multislice T 1ρ ‐weighted MRI

A 2D multislice spin‐lock (MS‐SL) MR pulse sequence is presented for rapid volumetric T 1ρ ‐weighted imaging. Image quality is compared with T 1ρ ‐weighted data collected using a single‐slice (SS) SL sequence and T 2 ‐weighted data from a standard MS spin‐echo (SE) sequence. Saturation of longitudinal magnetization by the application of nonselective SL pulses is experimentally measured and theoretically modeled as T 2ρ decay. The saturation data is used to correct the image data as a function of the SL pulse duration to make quantitative measurements of T 1ρ . Measurements of T 1ρ using the saturation‐corrected MS‐SL data are nearly identical to those measured using an SS‐SL sequence. The MS‐SL sequence produces quantitative T 1ρ maps of an entire sample volume with the high‐SNR advantages conferred by SE‐based sequences. Magn Reson Med 51:362–369, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.