An image in which the signal from two spectral components (such as fat and water) is 180° out of phase and leads to destructive interference in a voxel.
Since fat precesses slower than water, based on their chemical shift, their signals will decay and precess in the transverse plane at different frequencies. When the phase of the TE becomes opposed (180°), their combined signal intensities subtract with each other in the same voxel, producing a signal void or dark band at the fat/water interface of the tissues being examined.
Opposed phase gradient echo imaging for the abdomen is a lipid-type tissue sensitive sequence particularly for the liver and adrenal glands, which puts a signal intensity around abnormal water-based tissues or lesions that are fatty. Due to the increased sensitivity of opposed phase, the tissue visualization increases the lesion-to-liver contrast and exhibits more signal intensity loss in tissues containing small amounts of lipids compared to a spin echo T1 with fat suppression. Using an opposed phase gradient echo also provides the ability to differentiate various pathologies in the brain, including lipids, methaemoglobin, protein, calcifications and melanin.

See also Out of Phase, and Dixon.

A gradient system, which changes the readout gradient sinusoidally by connecting a capacitor to the self inductance generated by the gradient coil. Oscillating gradient systems were initially used in the development of EPI.
This electrical oscillating circuit can be driven with minimal power to generate the gradient amplitudes and switching frequencies required for echo planar imaging (EPI).
Disadvantages are that it is not possible to use any arbitrary trapezoidal gradient wave form as can be used in standard MRI. Also, the gradients are inflexible and cannot be used to create other ultrafast sequences and beside, nonlinear sampling of the MR signal is required.

Substances exhibiting paramagnetic properties are used as contrast agents in MR imaging. They have a small but positive magnetic susceptibility (magnetizability - tends to align along the magnetic field). Typical paramagnetic substances usually possess an unpaired electron and include atoms or ions of transition elements, rare earth elements, some metals, and some molecules including molecular oxygen and free radicals.

See also Paramagnetism.

The quality factor (Q) applies to any resonant circuit component; most often the quality factor of the coil determines the overall Q of the circuit.
Inversely related to the fraction of the energy in an oscillating system lost in one oscillation cycle. Q is inversely related to the range of frequency over which the system will exhibit resonance.
In a parallel tuned circuit (such as used in a MR coil), the quality factor is defined as:
Q = vL/R
where L is the coil inductance, R is the circuit resistance, and v is the angular frequency. Increasing quality factor results in improving the signal to noise ratio SNR by a factor √Q and also produces a sharper frequency response (decreased band width). The Q of a coil will depend on the circumstances under which it is measured, e.g. whether it is 'unloaded' (no patient) or 'loaded' (patient).

A type of magnet that utilizes the principles of electromagnetism to generate the magnetic field. Typically large current values and significant cooling of the magnet coils is required. The resistive magnet does not require cryogens, but needs a constant power supply to maintain a homogenous magnetic field, and can be quite expensive to maintain.
Resistive magnets fall into two general categories - iron-core and air-core.
Iron-core electromagnets provide the advantages of a vertically oriented magnetic field, and a limited fringe field with little, if any, missile effects due to the closed iron-flux return path.
Air-core electromagnets exhibit horizontally oriented fields, which have large fringe fields (unless magnetically shielded) and are prone to missile effects. Resistive magnets are typically limited to maximum field strengths of approximately 0.6T.