Fluid attenuated inversion recovery

Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) is a pulse sequence used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

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Essential Laboratory Skills Guide

The pulse sequence is an inversion recovery technique that nulls fluids. For example, it can be used in brain imaging to suppress Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) so as to bring out the periventricular hypertintense lesions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) plaques.

By carefully choosing the TI, the signal from any particular tissue can be nulled. The appropriate TI depends on the tissue via the formula:

One should typically yield a TI of 70% of T1. In the case of CSF suppression, one aims for T2 weighted images.

See also

• Relaxation (NMR)

References

• McRobbie D., et al. MRI, From picture to proton. 2003 p.40-42
• Hashemi Ray, et al. MRI, The Basics 2ED. 2004. p.272