Part 1 – introduction and techniques 

Brain imaging has advanced massively in the past two decades. Modern tools such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) allow us a much clearer view of how the brain works: we can almost literally “look inside the skull”. This article introduces the different forms of imaging and give examples of how we can use them to ask important questions in psychiatry and neurology. 

What techniques do we have?

We can consider imaging techniques from several perspectives. One is based on the detection instruments or technology used. Another is the kinds of signal that can be detected whether structural or functional or metabolic and yet another approach is to explore what they can be used for.