Unlike spin-echo sequence, a gradient echo sequence does not use a 180 degrees RF pulse to make the spins of particles coherent. Instead, the gradient echo uses magnetic gradients to manipulate the spins, allowing the spins to dephase and rephase when required. After an excitation pulse (usually less than 90 degrees), the spins are dephased after a period of time (due to free induction decay) and also by applying a reversed magnetic gradient to decay the spins. No signal is produced because the spins are not coherent. When the spins are rephased via a magnetic gradient, they become coherent, and thus signal (or "echo") is generated to form images. Unlike spin echo, gradient echo does not need to wait for transverse magnetisation to decay completely before initiating another sequence, thus it requires very short repetition times (TR), and therefore to acquire images in a short time.