See Spatial Resolution.

The shortest time duration between two events that can be measured with an MRI experiment.

(THRIVE) THRIVE is an optimized fast T1 weighted 3 dimensional imaging technique combining sensitivity encoding, large volume coverage and uniform fat suppression. THRIVE improves for example dynamic liver, small bowel, breast, prostate and pancreas MRI, providing isotropic images with high resolution in short breath-hold times.

In the last years, cardiac MRI techniques have progressively improved. No other noninvasive imaging modality provides the same degree of contrast and temporal resolution for the assessment of cardiovascular anatomy and pathology. Contraindications MRI are the same as for other magnetic resonance techniques.
The primary advantage of MRI is extremely high contrast resolution between different tissue types, including blood. Moreover, MRI is a true 3 dimensional imaging modality and images can be obtained in any oblique plane along the true cardiac axes while preserving high temporal and spatial resolution with precise demonstration of cardiac anatomy without the administration of contrast media.
Due to these properties, MRI can precisely characterize cardiac function and quantify cavity volumes, ejection fraction, and left ventricular mass. In addition, cardiac MRI has the ability to quantify flow (see flow quantification), including bulk flow in vessels, pressure gradients across stenosis, regurgitant fractions and shunt fractions. Valve morphology and area can be determined and the severity of stenosis quantified. In certain disease states, such as myocardial infarction, the contrast resolution of MRI is further improved by the addition of extrinsic contrast agents (see myocardial late enhancement).
A dedicated cardiac coil, and a field strength higher than 1 Tesla is recommended to have sufficient signal. Cardiac MRI acquires ECG gating. Cardiac gating (ECGs) obtained within the MRI scanner, can be degraded by the superimposed electrical potential of flowing blood in the magnetic field. Therefore, excellent contact between the skin and ECG leads is necessary. For male patients, the skin at the lead sites can be shaved. A good cooperation of the patient is necessary because breath holding at the end of expiration is practiced during the most sequences.

See also Displacement Encoding with Stimulated Echoes.
For Ultrasound Imaging (USI) see Cardiac Ultrasound at Medical-Ultrasound-Imaging.com.

See also the related poll results: 'In 2010 your scanner will probably work with a field strength of' and 'MRI will have replaced 50% of x-ray exams by'

Contrast enhanced MRI is a commonly used procedure in magnetic resonance imaging. The need to more accurately characterize different types of lesions and to detect all malignant lesions is the main reason for the use of intravenous contrast agents.
Some methods are available to improve the contrast of different tissues. The focus of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is on contrast kinetics with demands for spatial resolution dependent on the application. DCE-MR imaging is used for diagnosis of cancer (see also liver imaging, abdominal imaging, breast MRI, dynamic scanning) as well as for diagnosis of cardiac infarction (see perfusion imaging, cardiac MRI). Quantitative DCE-MRI requires special data acquisition techniques and analysis software.
Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) allows the visualization of vessels and the temporal resolution provides a separation of arteries and veins. These methods share the need for acquisition methods with high temporal and spatial resolution.
Double contrast administration (combined contrast enhanced (CCE) MRI) uses two contrast agents with complementary mechanisms e.g., superparamagnetic iron oxide to darken the background liver and gadolinium to brighten the vessels. A variety of different categories of contrast agents are currently available for clinical use.
Reasons for the use of contrast agents in MRI scans are:
Common Indications:
Brain MRI : Preoperative/pretreatment evaluation and postoperative evaluation of brain tumor therapy, CNS infections, noninfectious inflammatory disease and meningeal disease.
Spine MRI : Infection/inflammatory disease, primary tumors, drop metastases, initial evaluation of syrinx, postoperative evaluation of the lumbar spine: disk vs. scar.
Breast MRI : Detection of breast cancer in case of dense breasts, implants, malignant lymph nodes, or scarring after treatment for breast cancer, diagnosis of a suspicious breast lesion in order to avoid biopsy.

For Ultrasound Imaging (USI) see Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound at Medical-Ultrasound-Imaging.com. See also Blood Pool Agents, Myocardial Late Enhancement, Cardiovascular Imaging, Contrast Enhanced MR Venography, Contrast Resolution, Dynamic Scanning, Lung Imaging, Hepatobiliary Contrast Agents, Contrast Medium and MRI Guided Biopsy.