Coherent gradient echo pulse sequences primarily produce images that are:

Coherent gradient echo pulse sequences primarily produce T2* weighted images. This is due to the nature of how these sequences utilize gradients to refocus spins. In T2* weighted imaging, the presence of both T2 decay and additional dephasing effects caused by magnetic field inhomogeneities are captured. As a result, the signal intensity in T2* weighted images reflects variations in both T2 decay and these inhomogeneities, which can depend on the tissue environment and properties like susceptibility effects.

The coherent gradient echo sequence maintains phase information in a way that accentuates the differences in the decay times, leading to greater sensitivity to magnetic field variations compared to other techniques. This characteristic makes it very effective for imaging tissues in the presence of susceptibility effects, such as in areas around air-tissue interfaces or near metal, where T2* effects become more pronounced.

In contrast, T1 weighted images are primarily influenced by the longitudinal relaxation time of tissues, focusing on differences in T1 recovery, while diffusion-weighted imaging emphasizes the movement of water molecules rather than magnetic susceptibility. T2 weighted images rely fundamentally on T2 relaxation properties without the additional influences that T2* imaging incorporates. These differences in weighting methods fundamentally influence the resulting images and