A method of magnetic resonance imaging based on rapid acquisition by
sequential excitation and refocusing is provided. The method comprises
turning on a first time-encoding gradient and applying an excitation
pulse in the presence of the first time-encoding gradient. The excitation
pulse excites magnetization sequentially along one spatial axis.
Thereafter, a first refocusing pulse is applied. A second time-encoding
gradient is turned on followed by a second refocusing pulse. A third
time-encoding gradient is turned on and a signal is acquired in the
presence of the third time-encoding gradient. The third time-encoding
gradient sums to zero with the first time-encoding gradient and the
second time-encoding gradient for sequential points in space.