| abstract |
A radiation therapy planning and follow-up system ( 10 ) includes an MR scanner ( 12 ) with a first bore ( 16 ) which defines an MR imaging region ( 18 ) and a functional scanner ( 26 ), e.g., a nuclear imaging scanner, or a CT scanner with a second bore ( 30 ) which defines a nuclear or CT imaging region ( 36 ). The first and second bores ( 16,30 ) have a diameter of at least 70 cm, and preferably 80-85 cm. A radiation therapy type couch ( 90 ) moves linearly through the MR imaging region ( 18 ) along an MR longitudinal axis and the nuclear or CT imaging region ( 36 ) along a nuclear or CT longitudinal axis which is aligned with the MR longitudinal axis. The couch positions a subject sequentially in the MR and nuclear or CT imaging regions ( 18, 36 ). A fusion processor combines an image representation generated from data collection in the MR imaging region ( 18 ) and an image representation generated from data collection in the nuclear or CT imaging region ( 36 ) into a composite image representation and a planning processor ( 112 ) generates a radiation therapy treatment plan according to the composite image. |