In MRI, the magnetic and thermal environment through that nuclei exchange energy in longitudinal (T1) relaxation.

This parametric images reflect the similarity between the anisotropic diffusion of each pixel and that of its neighbors.

(T1) The return of the longitudinal magnetization to its equilibrium value along the +z axis.

(T1) The spin lattice relaxation time (also called longitudinal relaxation time and T1 Time) is a spin property, whereby the value changes between different tissues. By the spin lattice relaxation process, the longitudinal magnetization Mz achieve the equilibrium value Mz0. The T1 time constant is an exponential approach toward Mz0.
The equation for the magnetization at a time t will be (if at t=0 the longitudinal magnetization is Mz0):
Mz(t) = M0+(Mz (0) - Mz0) exp(t/T1)

The return to equilibrium (high energy protons returns to the low energy state) within the lattice is named the T1, spin lattice or longitudinal relaxation. During the time T1, the spinning protons realign with the external magnetic field with an exchange of their energy, resulting in heat. The value of the T1 time depends of the tissues ability for energy exchange.

See also Longitudinal Relaxation Time.