Method for producing a magnetic resonance image of an object having a short T

1. A method, implemented at least in part by a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, for producing a magnetic resonance image of an object having a short T 2 relaxation time, the method comprising:

with the magnetic imaging scanner, applying a pulse sequence to the object, wherein the pulse sequence comprises:

a slab-selective radiofrequency pulse;

a slab-selective gradient pulse;

a plurality of variable duration slice encoding gradient pulses;

a plurality of first encoding gradient pulses; and

a plurality of second encoding gradient pulses, wherein the first and second gradient pulses are one of the following:

spiral encoding gradient pulses; and

spiral-like encoding gradient pulses;

detecting a magnetic resonance signal associated with the object, wherein the detection of the magnetic resonance signal occurs concurrently with:

the application of one of the plurality of first encoding gradient pulses; and

the application of one of the plurality of second encoding gradient pulses; and

reconstructing the magnetic resonance image based on the magnetic resonance signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pulse sequence comprises applying a radiofrequency pulse of a symmetrical sinc waveform.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pulse sequence comprises applying a radiofrequency pulse of an arbitrary waveform.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pulse sequence comprises:

applying the slab-selective radiofrequency pulse; and

applying the slab-selective gradient pulse concurrently with the application of the slab-selective radiofrequency pulse.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pulse sequence comprises:

applying a first one of the plurality of variable duration slice encoding gradient pulses, wherein the first one has a first duration; and

applying a second one of the plurality of variable duration slice encoding gradient pulses, wherein the second one has a second duration, and wherein the second duration is different than the first duration.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein applying the pulse sequence further comprises applying a third one of the plurality of variable duration slice encoding gradient pulses, wherein the third one has a third duration, and wherein the third duration is different than the first and second durations.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a difference between the first and second durations is equal to a difference between the second and third durations.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein a difference between the first and second durations is different than at least one of the following:

a difference between the first and third durations; and

a difference between the second and third durations.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the pulse sequence comprises:

applying one of the plurality of first encoding gradient pulses; and

applying one of the plurality of second encoding gradient pulses concurrently with the application of the one of the plurality of first encoding gradient pulses.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein reconstructing the magnetic resonance image comprises:

transforming data representative of the magnetic resonance signal to data representative of a non-phase encoded magnetic resonance signal; and

producing the magnetic resonance image based on the transformed data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein transforming the data comprises decomposing three dimensional data into a plurality of two-dimensional data slices.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein decomposing the data comprises applying a discrete Fourier transform.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein producing the magnetic resonance image based on the transformed data comprises:

mapping the transformed data onto Cartesian grids; and

transforming the mapped data into the magnetic resonance image.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein transforming the mapped data comprises applying a Fourier transform.

15. A method, implemented at least in part by a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, for producing a magnetic resonance image of an object having a short T 2 relaxation time, the method comprising:

with the magnetic imaging scanner,

exciting a slab of the object;

phase-encoding a slice of the slab; and

further encoding the phase-encoded slice; wherein further encoding the phase-encoded slice comprises: applying a first encoding gradient pulses to the object; and applying a second encoding gradient pulse to the object, wherein the first and second encoding gradient pulses are one of the following: spiral encoding gradient pulses; and spiral-like encoding gradient pulses;

detecting a magnetic resonance signal associated with the object, wherein the detection of the magnetic resonance signal occurs concurrently with the further encoding of the phase-encoded slice; and

reconstructing the magnetic resonance image based on the magnetic resonance signal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein exciting the slab comprises:

applying a slab-selective radiofrequency pulse to the object; and

applying a slab-selective gradient pulse to the object concurrently with the application of the slab-selective radiofrequency pulse.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein phase-encoding the slice of the slab comprises applying a variable duration slice encoding gradient pulse to the object.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein reconstructing the magnetic resonance image comprises:

transforming data representative of the magnetic resonance signal to data representative of a non-phase encoded magnetic resonance signal; and

producing the magnetic resonance image based on the transformed data.