The present application is directed to an MRI imaging system having an MRI device for imaging at least a portion of an animal. The system comprises a photon transmitter, introducible within the body of an animal at least one imaging photon detector located either within or outside said animal, for detecting fluorescence excited within said animal by said transmitted photons and an image processor adapted to superimpose said MRI image and said at least one photon detector image, generating a rendered MRI image of said at least a portion of said animal. Further, the present application relates to a method using the system for MRI imaging.
