Biogeosciences www.biogeosciences.net 1726-4170 1726-4189 2 2 2005 10.5194/bg-2-133-2005 http://www.biogeosciences.net/2/133/2005/ http://www.biogeosciences.net/2/133/2005/bg-2-133-2005.html http://www.biogeosciences.net/2/133/2005/bg-2-133-2005.pdf 133 140 2005-06-17 Non-invasive diagnostics in fossils - Magnetic Resonance Imaging of pathological belemnites D. Mietchen H. Keupp B. Manz F. Volke Fraunhofer-Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT), St. Ingbert, Germany Faculty of Physics and Mechatronics, University of the Saarland, Saarbrücken, Germany Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany For more than a decade, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been routinely employed in clinical diagnostics because it allows non-invasive studies of anatomical structures and physiological processes <I>in vivo</I> and to differentiate between healthy and pathological states, particularly of soft tissue. Here, we demonstrate that MRI can likewise be applied to fossilized biological samples and help in elucidating paleopathological and paleoecological questions: Five anomalous guards of Jurassic and Cretaceous belemnites are presented along with putative paleopathological diagnoses directly derived from 3D MR images with microscopic resolution. <I>Syn vivo</I> deformities of both the mineralized internal rostrum and the surrounding former soft tissue can be traced back in part to traumatic events of predator-prey-interactions, and partly to parasitism. Besides, evidence is presented that the frequently observed anomalous apical collar might be indicative of an inflammatory disease. These findings highlight the potential of Magnetic Resonance techniques for further paleontological applications.