Magnetic resonance imaging color composites

A method of producing a single color composite image from a plurality of multiparameter magnetic resonance images, the method including the steps of:

• obtaining a plurality of spatially aligned gray-tone magnetic resonance images at a plurality of predetermined pulse sequences to provide data of the spatial location and contrast discrimination of tissue voxels in the form of pixels having varied intensities;
• identifying selected regions of interest in each image representing similar tissues, and
• characterized by plotting average signal intensities of pixels within each region of interest for each image,
• assigning a different monochrome color to each of the images based on the signal intensities and on a desired final color rendition of a composite image formed of the plurality of images,
• combining the plurality of gray-tone images with the monochrome color assigned to each image into a single composite image having pixels of varying hue, saturation and intensity based on the intensity of the original gray-tone images and on the assigned monochrome colors forming the composite image having semi-natural anatomic appearance.