A magnetic resonance imaging system (500) comprising: a magnet (502) for generating a magnetic field a radio frequency system (516) for acquiring magnetic resonance data a magnetic field gradient coil (510) for spatial encoding of the magnetic spins of nuclei within the imaging volume a magnetic field gradient coil power supply (512) for supplying current to the magnetic field gradient coil an anesthesia system interface (532) for sending control messages to an anesthesia system (524) for controlling the delivery of inhalation gases to a subject and a computer system comprising a processor (534) and a memory (538 540) wherein the memory contains instructions (542 544 546 548 550 552) for execution by the processor wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to: control (100 200 300 400) the operation of the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire magnetic resonance data and to send (102 202 302 402) control messages to the anesthesia system via the anesthesia system interface.
