Transverse Relaxometry with Non-180 Refocusing Pulses

Julien Sngas¹, Nicolas Neu², Jochen Keupp¹

Recently, a model based on the extended phase graph (EPG) approach has been proposed to fit the signal curve of multi-echo spin-echo acquisitions pulses with the goal to improve the robustness of T2 estimation with respect to stimulated echoes. While the EPG approach has been proposed primary to correct for B1 inhomogeneities and imperfect refocusing pulses, we investigate here whether this approach can be applied with sufficient accuracy and precision in the case of pulses with refocusing angles below 180˚ with the benefit of reduced power deposition and shorter echo spacing.