Figure 1

Sequence diagram depicting the SAPPHIRE T1-mapping sequence: a saturation pulse is performed after the R-wave to erase the magnetization history. It is followed by the inversion pulse and a single-shot image readout. To extend the range of applicable inversion times the data readout of some SAPPHIRE experiments is performed in the heart-cycle after the magnetization preparation. Additionally the first heart-cycle is performed without magnetization preparation and the last heart-cycle with the saturation pulse only. This increases the effective inversion times and improves the T1 fit.