MRI AND DETERMINATION OF T1 AND T2 OF SOLID POLYMERS USING A 1.5-T WHOLE-BODY IMAGER

Spin-echo sequences with echo times as short as 3.5 msec were implemen ted on a standard 1.5 T NMR whole-body imager for H-1 imaging of polym ers in the solid-state. No modification of the NMR hardware designed f or clinical usage was made. Beside images of different polymers a ''se lf-portrait'' of the polymeric materials of the receiver coil is given as a neat application. Based on imaging experiments the longitudinal and transverse relaxation time of polymers were investigated. The resu lts indicate that using a standard whole-body imager, it is possible t o provide additional information to other examination techniques in po lymer and materials science.