Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Registered Bioimaging of Nanomaterials for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Monitoring
Published on: December 9, 2010
Optimum setting of binomial pulses for magnetization transfer contrast
N P Davies1, I R Summers, W Vennart
1Medical Physics Group, School of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QL, United Kingdom. npdavies@ex.ac.uk
Abstract:
Investigation of the cause of image artifacts generated by a magnetization transfer (MT) sequence using binomial-pulse trains led to findings of imperfections in the pulses. These imperfections caused anomalous direct saturation of the free water, which was localized due to the static magnetic field inhomogeneity. In the case of single binomial pulses a loss of overall MT response across the field of view results. Two methods of correcting the imperfections and removing the artifact have been established using interactive adjustment of sub-pulse lobes and phase swapping of pulse trains. These imperfections may be present in many systems and may have led to erroneous judgements of the value of binomial pulses for MT imaging. A technique for interrogating the frequency spectrum of the binomial-pulse train has been utilized, allowing its optimization. The use of accurate and optimized binomial pulses may yet prove to be preferable to pulsed off-resonance methods for quantitative, clinical MT imaging.
Related Concept Videos
¹H NMR: Interpreting Distorted and Overlapping Signals
As Δν decreases and the signals move closer, the doublets appear increasingly distorted. The intensities of the inner lines increase at the cost of those of the outer lines as the signals are slanted or...
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution
Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance
NMR Spectrometers: Resolution and Error Correction
NMR Spectrometers: Radiofrequency Pulses and Pulse Sequences
Insensitive Nuclei Enhanced by Polarization Transfer (INEPT)

