MRI using prep scan sequence producing phase-offset NMR signals from different NMR species

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) process which generates images of patient tissue and comprises use of at least one programmed controller in an MRI system to effect:

(a) a preparatory nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sequence comprising a binomial radio frequency (RF) pulse having at least two independently phased RF flip angle components, said components being spaced in the time domain by τ to provide a respectively corresponding evolved phase difference Δθ between predetermined NMR species which have different NMR frequencies;

(b) a main MRI data acquisition sequence following said preparatory NMR sequence; and

(c) generation and display of an image of said patient tissue based at least in part on MRI data acquired during said acquisition sequence.

2. An MRI process as in claim 1 , wherein said preparatory sequence comprises at least one magnetic gradient spoiler pulse after said at least one binomial RF pulse.

3. An MRI process as in claim 1 , wherein the sum of said RF flip angle components provides a substantially 180° nutation flip angle.

4. An MRI process as in claim 1 , wherein said RF flip angle components comprise two RF components which have independent RF transmit phase.

5. An MRI process as in claim 1 , wherein said evolved phase difference Δθ is substantially 180°.

6. An MRI process as in claim 1 , wherein:

(i) the sum of said RF flip angle components provides a substantially 180° nutation flip angle;

(ii) said RF flip angle components comprise two RF components which have independent RF transmit phase; and

(iii) said evolved phase difference is substantially 180°.

7. An MRI process as in claim 6 , wherein said predetermined NMR species comprise water and fat species having an NMR chemical phase shift separation of about 3.4 parts per million.

8. An MRI process as in claim 1 , further comprising repetition of steps (a) and (b) with phase cycling of the relative transmit phases used for at least one of said binomial pulse components followed by combination of the acquired MRI data resulting from said phase cycling before step (c).

9. An MRI process as in claim 8 , wherein said combination of the acquired MRI data produces a more uniform signal across a spectrum of off-resonances and thus a more uniform final image by using at least one of: (i) sum of squares (SSQ) and (ii) maximum intensity projection (MIP) calculations.

10. An MRI process as in claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises at least one of:

a fast spin echo (FSE) MRI data acquisition sequence;

a single-shot fast spin echo MRI data acquisition sequence;

a fast asymmetric spin echo (FASE) MRI data acquisition sequence;

a variable flip angle (VFA) MRI data acquisition sequence; and

a steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI data acquisition sequence.

11. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system which generates images of patient tissue and comprises at least one programmed controller in an MRI system configured to effect:

(a) a preparatory nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sequence comprising a binomial radio frequency (RF) pulse having at least two independently phased RF flip angle components, said components being spaced in the time domain by τ to provide a respectively corresponding evolved phase difference Δθ between predetermined NMR species which have different NMR frequencies and followed by at least one magnetic gradient spoiler pulse;

(b) a main MRI data acquisition sequence following said preparatory NMR sequence; and

(c) generation and display of an image of said patient tissue based at least in part on MRI data acquired during said acquisition sequence.

12. An MRI system as in claim 11 , wherein said preparatory sequence comprises at least one magnetic gradient spoiler pulse after said at least one binomial RF pulse.

13. An MRI system as in claim 11 , wherein the sum of said RF flip angle components provides a substantially 180° nutation flip angle.

14. An MRI system as in claim 11 , wherein said RF flip angle components comprise two RF components which have independent RF transmit phase.

15. An MRI system as in claim 11 , wherein said evolved phase difference Δθ is substantially 180°.

16. An MRI system as in claim 11 , wherein:

(i) the sum of said RF flip angle components provides a substantially 180° nutation flip angle;

(ii) said RF flip angle components comprise two RF components which have independent RF transmit phase; and

(iii) said evolved phase difference is substantially 180°.

17. An MRI system as in claim 16 , wherein said predetermined NMR species comprise water and fat species having an NMR chemical phase shift separation of about 3.4 parts per million.

18. An MRI system as in claim 11 , further comprising repetition of steps (a) and (b) with phase cycling of the relative phases used for at least one of said binomial pulse components followed by combination of the acquired MRI data resulting from said phase cycling before step (c).

19. An MRI process as in claim 18 , wherein said combination of the acquired MRI data produces a more uniform signal across a spectrum of off-resonances and thus a more uniform final image by using at least one of: (i) sum of squares (SSQ) and (ii) maximum intensity projection (MIP) calculations.

20. An MRI process as in claim 11 , wherein step (b) comprises at least one of:

a fast spin echo (FSE) MRI data acquisition sequence;

a single-shot fast spin echo MRI data acquisition sequence;

a fast asymmetric spin echo (FASE) MRI data acquisition sequence;

a variable flip angle (VFA) MRI data acquisition sequence; and

a steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI data acquisition sequence.