METHOD OF ELIMINATING EFFECT OF BASE LINE ERROR COMPONENT INPREPARATION OF NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGE

A preferred embodiment of a method of removing the effects of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal baseline error artifacts in imaging applications is disclosed with reference to Fourier transform imaging techniques, of the type frequently referred to as spin warp. In accordance with the method, the phase of the radio frequency (RF) excitation pulse is alternated in adjacent phase-encoding views by 180°. Since the baseline error component is independent of this phase change, the effect of phase reversal of the RF excitation is to modulate the desired image up to the Nyquist frequency in the phase-encoding direction. The artifact due to the baseline error component, however, is unchanged. Views measured with -90° RF excitation are negated prior to reconstruction so that the image is returned to its correct position, while the baseline error artifact is modulated to the edge of the field of view. Since the baseline artifact has limited bandwidth, it does not interfere with the desired image. Because only one measurement is made at each phase-encoding gradient amplitude, the minimum scan time can be halved, the field of view can be doubled, or the resolution in the phase-encoding direction can be doubled.