Fluid attenuated inversion recovery pulse sequences with a long echo time (TE) have been used to image the brain in one volunteer and four patients. The long inversion time used with this sequence suppresses the signal from CSF and the long TE produces very heavy T2 weighting. The marked reduction in flow artefact from CSF and the high T2 weighting enabled anatomical detail to be seen within the brain stem and produced high lesion contrast in areas close to CSF. Lesions were demonstrated with greater conspicuity than with conventional T2-weighted sequences in patients with cerebral infarction, low grade astrocytoma, and diplegia.