Blood MR signal suppression by preexcitation with inverting pulses.

A cardiac-gated sequence has been developed for functional cardiac imaging. It uses a nonselective 180 degrees preinverting pulse before a spin-echo (SE) readout sequence with an echo time (TE) of 28 msec. In seven healthy volunteers this sequence provided superior wall-to-chamber contrast in end diastole and end systole when compared with the following sequences: SE, TE = 28 msec; SE, TE = 28 msec with dephasing gradients; and SE, TE = 28 msec with presaturation bands.