3-D FLASH Imaging using a single surface coil and a new adiabatic pulse, BIR-4

A new adiabatic pulse, which can induce uniform and arbitrary flip angles despite the presence of transmitter coil magnetic field (B₁) inhomogeneities, is employed for 3-D fast imaging using a single surface coil for pulse transmission and signal detection. Computer calculations and phantom, rat, and human surface coil imaging experiments demonstrate the utility of this adiabatic pulse for T₁-weighted imaging with a transmitter coil which generates a highly-inhomogeneous B₁ field profile.