Optical mri device

Abstract

A dual modality imaging apparatus, comprising a magnetic resonance imaging (=MRI) system and a fluorescence molecular tomography (=FMT) system, for investigating a sample () located at a sample position (), wherein the MRI system comprises a magnet () with a room temperature bore (), with the sample position () located within the bore (), and wherein the FMT system comprises means for directing a light beam () towards the sample position (), and a position-sensitive detector () for collecting fluorescence light from the sample (), is characterized in that the position-sensitive detector () is located within the bore (), wherein at least part of the sample () is imaged onto the position-sensitive detector (), and that the means for directing the light beam () comprise a focusing device for focusing the light beam () into a focal spot () on the sample (), and a scanning device for scanning the focal spot () on the sample (). The apparatus is simple in design and versatile in application, and in particular imposes less limitations on the maximum number of source/detector pairs during FMT imaging, thus allowing a better FMT image resolution.