Magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) in flash MR imaging.

Magnetization transfer between bound and free protons was used as a source of contrast in high speed MR imaging using the FLASH technique. Contrast in FLASH MR images was found to depend upon the reduced magnetization and the spin lattice relaxation rate of free protons in the presence of bound proton radio-frequency saturation. MTC FLASH imaging was thus used to estimate the variation with saturation frequency of free proton spin-lattice relaxation during magnetization transfer.