In vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spin-lattice relaxation time measurements from restricted volumes.

A method is described for performing localized in vivo spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) measurements in which data is taken along a strip or line. This method, which is used in conjunction with standard imaging practice, provides smaller T1 measurement times if only a limited number of measurements are required. Studies of the reproducibility and the homogeneity of these T1 determinations have been carried out using human subjects and phantoms. T1 measurements made of several regions of normal brain, abdominal, and pelvic organs are described.