A Quasi-Analytical Method for Relaxation Rate Distribution Determination of T 2 -Weighted MRI in Brain

A quasi-analytical method for the determination of relaxation rate distribution functions in T2-weighted MRI in brain is proposed. The method solves analytically the set of nonlinear polynomial equations on the assumption that the transversal magnetization decay in Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) T2-weighted MR brain images can be decomposed in a finite number of exponential decays, each one corresponding to a particular tissue class. The proposed method was validated by numerical simulations and applied to the calculation of relaxation rate distribution functions of tumoral lesions in brain.