Relaxation time mapping of short T2* nuclei with single-point imaging (SPI) methods

New techniques for quantitative mapping of T-1, T-2, and T-2* are proposed, based on the single-point imaging (SPI) method, for materials with short nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times which cannot be imaged with traditional methods. Relaxation times extracted from two-dimensional images of uniform doped agarose phantoms (T-2* approximate to 60-210 mu s) as well as hardened mortar (T-2* approximate to 220 mu s) and polymers (T-2* approximate to 20-100 mu s), using these techniques, agreed with bulk measurements. The method was then applied to a partially dried cylindrical concrete sample (T-2* approximate to 115 mu s). (C) 1998 Academic Press.