Signal enhancement by diffusion: experimental observation of the "DESIRE" effect.

Inadequate signal-to-noise ratio is a major factor limiting applications of magnetic resonance microscopy. The "Diffusion Enhancement of Signal and Resolution" (DESIRE) scheme promises potential sensitivity enhancements of between one and three orders of magnitude, but images using this mechanism have not been shown to date. Here, we report the first images obtained using the DESIRE method, and obtain excellent agreement between numerical simulations and experimental data with signal-to-noise enhancements of close to one order of magnitude.