Which neuroimaging technique detects and records brain activity by measuring oxygen consumption and produces colour images of brain structure, activity and function?

• A. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• B. Computerised Tomography (CT)
• C. Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
• D. Electrical Stimulation of the Brain (ESB)

Answer: (A)

The question is asking about a method that detects brain activity by measuring metabolic processes tied to oxygen use and provides color pictures that show both structure and function. That description fits Positron Emission Tomography (PET). PET uses a radioactive tracer to map metabolic activity in the brain; regions that are more active take up more tracer and appear in different colors on the scan. When PET is paired with CT or MRI, you get images that show where the activity is happening in the context of brain structure, giving a combined view of structure and function.

MRI by itself is great for detailed structure and, in its functional form (fMRI), shows changes in blood flow related to oxygenation but does not directly measure oxygen consumption with the same metabolic specificity as PET. CT provides structural anatomy but not functional activity. Electrical Stimulation of the Brain is a technique used to evoke responses rather than to image ongoing activity.