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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

MRI T1 vs T2 Quiz: Recognize Weighting and Contrast

Quick, free T1 T2 weighting quiz to check your skills. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Kuldeep BhamuUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration showing brain MRI slices labeled T1 and T2 on dark blue background with quiz title.

Use this MRI T1 vs T2 quiz to spot weighting and contrast fast, so you can tell what should look bright or dark in common sequences. If you want extra reps, try our mri quiz for mixed cases, check your knowledge with a free mri practice test, or review basics with an mri safety quiz.

What physiological process primarily influences signal intensity in T1-weighted MRI images?
Transverse relaxation (T2)
Longitudinal relaxation (T1)
Diffusion of water molecules
Flow of blood
T1-weighted images are dominated by differences in longitudinal relaxation or spin-lattice relaxation of tissues. This process determines how quickly protons realign with the main magnetic field after excitation. Tissues with shorter T1 times, such as fat, return to equilibrium faster and appear bright.
Which of these tissues appears brightest on a T1-weighted MRI?
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Muscle
Fat
Water
On T1-weighted scans, fat has a short T1 relaxation time and thus returns to equilibrium quickly, producing a high signal and bright appearance. CSF and water have long T1 times and appear dark. Muscle has intermediate T1 characteristics and shows moderate signal intensity.
Which sequence parameter combination is typical for a T1-weighted image?
Short TR and long TE
Long TR and short TE
Long TR and long TE
Short TR and short TE
T1-weighted images require repetition times (TR) and echo times (TE) that are both relatively short to maximize T1 contrast and minimize T2 effects. A short TR reduces recovery time between pulses, emphasizing T1 differences. A short TE prevents excessive transverse relaxation before signal readout.
On T2-weighted images, which of the following is most hyperintense?
Air
Muscle
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Bone
T2-weighted imaging highlights differences in transverse relaxation times. Water and CSF have long T2 relaxation times, appearing bright on T2-weighted images. Bone and air produce very low signal on MRI and appear dark. Muscle shows intermediate T2 signal.
What does 'T2' represent in MRI terminology?
Longitudinal relaxation time
Spin-spin relaxation time
Repetition time
Time of echo
T2 refers to the time constant for spin-spin or transverse relaxation, which describes how quickly the component of magnetization perpendicular to the main field decays. It is distinct from T1, which is longitudinal relaxation. T2 affects image contrast in T2-weighted sequences.
In T1-weighted imaging, cerebrospinal fluid appears:
Dark
Mosaic
Bright
Intermediate
CSF has a very long T1 relaxation time, so it does not recover longitudinal magnetization quickly and appears hypointense or dark on T1-weighted images. Fat and other tissues with short T1 times appear bright in contrast.
Which weighting is most sensitive to water content and edema?
Proton density - weighted
T1-weighted
Diffusion-weighted
T2-weighted
T2-weighted imaging emphasizes differences in transverse relaxation times, making it highly sensitive to free water and edema, which have long T2 values and appear bright. This makes T2-weighted scans ideal for identifying fluid-related pathology.
Increasing the repetition time (TR) tends to:
Decrease T1 weighting
Increase T1 weighting
Increase T2 weighting
Decrease T2 weighting
A longer TR allows more complete recovery of longitudinal magnetization before the next excitation pulse, which reduces the relative differences in T1 relaxation between tissues and decreases T1 contrast. It also moves the image toward proton density weighting.
Proton density - weighted images are characterized by:
Long TR and short TE
Short TR and short TE
Long TR and long TE
Short TR and long TE
Proton density - weighted images minimize T1 and T2 contrast by using a long TR to reduce T1 effects and a short TE to limit T2 decay. This emphasizes differences in proton concentration.
Which MRI sequence would best suppress fat signal?
Short tau inversion recovery (STIR)
T2-weighted
T1-weighted
Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)
STIR applies an inversion recovery pulse with a specific inversion time to null the fat signal. It is widely used for fat suppression in musculoskeletal and body imaging.
FLAIR imaging is particularly useful for detecting lesions near CSF because it:
Suppresses CSF signal
Enhances blood signal
Enhances CSF signal
Suppresses fat signal
FLAIR uses a long inversion time to null CSF signal, improving the detection of lesions that would otherwise be obscured by bright fluid. This is particularly useful in multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases.
What effect does increasing echo time (TE) have on image contrast?
Decreases T2 weighting
Increases T1 weighting
No change in contrast
Increases T2 weighting
A longer TE allows more transverse relaxation to occur before signal readout, which enhances T2 contrast by accentuating differences in T2 decay between tissues. Short TE minimizes this effect.
In T2*-weighted (gradient echo) imaging, susceptibility effects are:
Unchanged
Enhanced
Eliminated
Reduced
Gradient echo sequences lack a 180° refocusing pulse, so magnetic field inhomogeneities cause local dephasing and signal loss, enhancing susceptibility effects like those from hemorrhage or calcium.
Gadolinium-based contrast agents primarily shorten which relaxation time?
Proton density
T2 relaxation time
T2* relaxation time
T1 relaxation time
Gadolinium chelates increase the relaxation rate R1, effectively shortening T1 relaxation times of nearby water protons. This leads to brighter signal in T1-weighted images.
Which sequence parameter is primarily responsible for T2 contrast?
Echo time (TE)
Flip angle
Repetition time (TR)
Field strength
Echo time (TE) determines how long the signal is allowed to decay before measurement. A longer TE accentuates differences in T2 decay between tissues, increasing T2 contrast.
Why is T1-weighted imaging preferred for assessing anatomy?
Bright depiction of CSF
High sensitivity to edema
High contrast between gray and white matter
Elimination of all artifacts
T1-weighted images provide excellent contrast between gray and white matter due to differences in their T1 relaxation times. This contrast allows detailed anatomic delineation of structures. CSF appears dark, reducing distraction from fluid signals.
How does a long TR and long TE affect signal?
Emphasizes T2 weighting
Creates diffusion-weighted contrast
Emphasizes T1 weighting
Produces pure proton density weighting
Long TR minimizes T1 effects, and long TE allows substantial transverse decay differences, together producing heavily T2-weighted images. This combination highlights fluids and edema.
Which inversion recovery sequence uses an inversion time to null fat?
Short tau inversion recovery (STIR)
Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)
Proton density - weighted inversion
Double inversion recovery (DIR)
STIR applies an inversion pulse with a TI around 150 - 175 ms at 1.5T to null fat signal specifically. It is commonly used in musculoskeletal and body MRI for fat suppression.
What is the approximate inversion time (TI) used to null CSF in brain FLAIR at 1.5T?
500 ms
800 ms
3500 ms
2000 ms
FLAIR sequences typically use an inversion time near 2000 ms at 1.5T to null cerebrospinal fluid signal. This allows lesions adjacent to CSF spaces to be seen more clearly.
In multiple sclerosis, which MRI sequence highlights periventricular plaques most clearly?
Proton density - weighted
Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)
T1-weighted
Diffusion-weighted
FLAIR suppresses CSF, allowing periventricular and cortical lesions to stand out against a dark background, which is especially useful in multiple sclerosis imaging. T2-weighted can also show plaques but FLAIR provides better lesion conspicuity.
Magnetization transfer contrast is used to:
Suppress skull signal
Detect macromolecule - bound protons
Enhance vascular flow
Increase spatial resolution
Magnetization transfer contrast saturates bound protons on macromolecules, transferring this saturation to free water protons and reducing their signal. This technique helps characterize tissues with high macromolecular content, such as white matter.
Why does fluid appear bright on T2-weighted MR images?
Long T2 relaxation times
Short T2 relaxation times
Low proton density
Rapid flow effects
Fluids like CSF and edema have long T2 relaxation times, meaning their transverse magnetization decays slowly and they retain signal longer, appearing bright on T2-weighted images. Solid tissues lose signal faster and appear darker.
In gradient echo T2* imaging, what causes signal loss not seen in spin echo?
High diffusion rates
T1 relaxation
Fat saturation pulses
Magnetic susceptibility differences
Gradient echo sequences do not use a 180° refocusing pulse, so local magnetic field inhomogeneities and susceptibility variations cause additional dephasing and signal loss. This property is exploited in T2*-weighted imaging to detect hemorrhage or calcification.
T1rho imaging is particularly sensitive to:
Water diffusion
Fat content
Rapid blood flow
Slow molecular motions
T1rho (T1 in the rotating frame) measures relaxation of spins under a continuous low-power RF field, making it sensitive to slow molecular interactions and exchange processes in tissues, such as proteoglycan content in cartilage.
The relaxation rates R1 and R2 correspond to:
T1 and T2
Repetition time (TR) and echo time (TE)
1/T1 and 1/T2
Proton density and spin density
In MRI physics, R1 and R2 represent the relaxation rates, defined as the reciprocals of T1 and T2 times, respectively. R1=1/T1 describes longitudinal recovery rate, while R2=1/T2 describes transverse decay rate. These rates are fundamental to quantitative MRI.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand T1 and T2 weighting principles -

    Grasp the fundamental differences in relaxation times and how they influence contrast in T1 vs T2 weighted MRI.

  2. Differentiate signal intensities of tissues on T1 vs T2 images -

    Learn to recognize how fat, fluid, and other tissues appear brighter or darker across different MRI weightings.

  3. Identify contrast variations in MRI quiz images -

    Develop skills to spot subtle differences in brightness and darkness on T1 and T2 weighted scans.

  4. Analyze MRI sequences to determine weightings -

    Practice evaluating sequence parameters, such as TR and TE, and their impact on image appearance.

  5. Apply weighting knowledge to clinical cases -

    Use insights from the MRI weighting quiz to assess real-world radiology scenarios accurately.

  6. Evaluate and improve your MRI imaging IQ -

    Challenge yourself to measure performance, pinpoint weaknesses, and boost your expertise in T1 vs T2 weighted MRI.

Cheat Sheet

  1. T1 Relaxation Fundamentals -

    Understand that T1 relaxation time measures longitudinal recovery (Mz) of protons returning to equilibrium after an RF pulse, described by Mz(t)=M0(1−e^(−t/T1)). Remember in the T1 vs T2 weighted MRI quiz that short T1 tissues like fat appear bright due to rapid recovery. A handy mnemonic is "Fat is First" (bright on T1 first).

  2. T2 Relaxation Fundamentals -

    T2 relaxation time tracks transverse decay (Mxy) of protons losing phase coherence, modeled by Mxy(t)=Mxy(0)e^(−t/T2). In T2 weighting, long T2 substances such as CSF glow bright, so water-rich areas stand out. Think "Water Wins" in T2 for quick recall during your MRI sequence quiz.

  3. Sequence Parameter Tips (TR & TE) -

    Short TR (<500 ms) and short TE (<30 ms) favor T1 weighting, while long TR (>2000 ms) and long TE (>80 ms) produce T2 contrast (Radiopaedia, 2023). In the T1 vs T2 weighted MRI quiz, flag these values to determine weighting quickly. You can jot "SSR = short-short = T1, LLC = long-long = T2" as a formulaic aide-mémoire.

  4. Tissue Contrast Patterns -

    Fat appears bright on T1, dark on T2; fluid is dark on T1, bright on T2. This consistent flip-flop pattern underlies many quiz questions on T1 T2 MRI differences. Visualize a "bright fat, bright fluid" road sign toggling between T1 and T2 to cement the concept.

  5. Clinical Application & Pitfalls -

    T1-weighted scans excel at anatomy delineation (e.g., post-contrast lesion detection), whereas T2-weighted images highlight pathology like edema or demyelination (e.g., MS plaques). Beware of CSF flow artifacts in T2 that can mimic pathology - these trap questions often appear in MRI sequence quizzes. Always correlate with clinical context to ace those scenario-based items.

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