Siemens has unveiled the world’s first MR-PET scanner prototype. With this imaging system, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) images can be acquired simultaneously. MRI supplies anatomical (structural) information as context, whilst PET yields functional data, for example on the precise location of tumours and their metastases. See the image below for an example (courtesy of Siemens):

This is yet another new example of “native” multi-field medical datasets, and underlines the need for research on techniques that are able to visualise this type of data.

(news via MedGadget)