Method of mapping the material properties of an object to be examined

Claim 3

A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as changing the first and second delay times in constant increments.

Claim 4

A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second delay times are equal.

Claim 5

A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as repeating the steps by first changing the time integrals and then changing the delay times.

Claim 6

A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as changing said first and second delay times in a manner such that the first delay time is changed from a first minimum value to a first maximum value and the second delay time is changed by corresponding first maximum and minimum values in such a manner such that the sum of the first and second delay times is constant, and as changing the sum of the delay times from a second minimum value to a second maximum value while maintaining the difference between said first values of said first and second delay times constant.

Claim 7

A method as set forth in claim 5 further defined as first changing the sum of the first and second delay times and then changing the first and second delay times.

Claim 8

A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the step of applying a magnetic field gradient is further defined as applying first, second, and third magnetic field gradients having desired values to the object and wherein the step of again applying magnetic field gradient is further defined as applying said first, second, and third magnetic field gradients at their desired values; and wherein said method is defined as containing the further steps performed in any desired order; repeating the excitation by said first and second excitation pulses while changing the time integrals of said magnetic field gradients in accordance with the selected imaging method; repeating the excitation by said first and second excitation pulses while changing said first delay time from a first minimum value to a first maximum value and while maintaining the sum of said first and second delay times constant; and repeating the excitation by said first and second pulses while changing the sum of said first and second delay times from a second minimum value to a second maximum value while maintaining the difference between said first values of said first and second delay times constant by changing said first values so as to maintain their average temporally symmetrical with respect to the first excitation pulse and said spin echo signal.

Claim 9

A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as a method for determining the physiological properties of an object, such as metabolism, blood circulation, tumor location, and like properties, said method further including the step of supplying the object with a tracer means containing nuclei, the coupling constants of which are different from those normally present in the object, and as including the step of mapping the local distribution of the coupling constant to determine the physiological property of the object.

Claim 10

A method as in claim 8 further defined as supplying a tracer means containing a stable isotope of a nucleus which is normally present in nature in small amounts and having a different coupling constant than isotopes present in greater amounts.