Which is better T1 or T2?
The main difference between T1 and T2 images is how they contrast various tissues. T1 Images: T1 images make fat appear bright and water (like cerebrospinal fluid) appear dark. This makes it easier to see structures like muscles, fat, and the brain. T2 Images: T2 images make water appear bright and fat appear darker. T1 MRI highlights anatomy, provides crisp images, and shows fluids as dark. Conversely, T2 MRI focuses on pathology, making fluids bright, which is ideal for visualizing inflammation, edema, and certain lesions. The distinction between T1 and T2 is crucial for accurate medical diagnosis.
Is T1 bigger than T2?
Typically (as shown in the first figure), T2 values of tissue are considerably lower than T1 values, i. For most tissues in vivo, T1 varies between about 300 ms and 3 s, while T2 varies between about 10 ms and 200 ms. T2 relaxation always proceeds at a faster rate than T1 relaxation; thus the the T1 relaxation time is always longer than or equal to T2. To the left is a table listing T1 and T2 values for hydrogen nuclei in various biological tissues.