Frequency spectral density,
J(ω), as a function of resonance
frequency, ω, for different correlation times,
τc. The longitudinal
relaxation time T1 is proportional to the number of
protons that are tumbling at the Larmor frequency,
ω0. Pure water has a wide flat spectrum
with relatively little energy around the Larmor frequency. This is also true for
water molecules bound to large slow-moving macromolecules, which have a narrow
spectrum. The largest contribution to
T1 come from water bound to
intermediate-sized molecules. From Chapter 15 in Theory and Applications of Heat
Transfer in Humans. Henrik Odéen and Dennis L Parker, Non-Invasive
Thermometry with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Devashish Shrivastava (Editor).
John Wiley and Sons 2018. Reprinted with permission.