MR imaging technique in which the image of an object is built up from successive planes in the object. In various schemes, the planes are selected by oscillating magnetic field gradients or selective excitation.

(2D FT) A form of sequential plane imaging using Fourier transformation imaging. In 2D FT, a line of data corresponds to the digitized NMR signal at a particular phase encoding level. The Fourier transformation process reconstructs the detected frequency and phase encoded image information (which are rotated 90° from each other) into a usable image.

The time required to carry out a MR imaging. The total image acquisition time will be equal to the product of repetition time (TR), number of signals averaged (NSA), and the number of different signals (encoded for position) to be acquired for use in image reconstruction. The additional image reconstruction time will also be important to determine how quickly the image can be viewed. In comparing sequential plane imaging and volume imaging techniques, the equivalent image acquisition time per slice must be considered as well as the actual image acquisition time.

A usual variation of sequential plane imaging technique that can be used with selective excitation technique that does not affect adjacent slices. Since, in SE imaging TR longer than TE, the machine would be idling most of the time, if a single slice would be acquired; multiple slice imaging was introduced early on. Adjacent slices are imaged while waiting for relaxation of the first slice toward equilibrium, resulting in decreased image acquisition time for the set of slices. The maximum number of slices of a pulse sequence depends on the repetition time.

Imaging technique in which the image of a plane is built up from signals received from the whole plane. The data is collected simultaneously from an entire layer.

See also Sequential Plane Imaging.