diff --git a/src/torchio/data/image.py b/src/torchio/data/image.py
index d8f74c32..6afd748b 100644
--- a/src/torchio/data/image.py
+++ b/src/torchio/data/image.py
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import base64
+import io
 import warnings
 from collections import Counter
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 from typing import Any
 
 import humanize
@@ -46,6 +49,9 @@
 from .io import sitk_to_nib
 from .io import write_image
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from matplotlib.figure import Figure
+
 PROTECTED_KEYS = DATA, AFFINE, TYPE, PATH, STEM
 TypeBound = tuple[float, float]
 TypeBounds = tuple[TypeBound, TypeBound, TypeBound]
@@ -204,6 +210,28 @@ def __repr__(self):
         string = f'{self.__class__.__name__}({properties})'
         return string
 
+    def _repr_html_(self):
+        try:
+            from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
+            from matplotlib.figure import Figure
+        except ImportError:
+            return self.__repr__()
+
+        buffer = io.BytesIO()
+        fig = self.plot(
+            return_fig=True,
+            output_path=buffer,
+            show=False,
+            savefig_kwargs={'bbox_inches': 'tight'},
+        )
+        assert isinstance(fig, Figure)
+        plt.close(fig)
+        buffer.seek(0)
+
+        img_str = base64.b64encode(buffer.read()).decode('utf-8')
+        html = f'<img src="data:image/png;base64,{img_str}"/>'
+        return html
+
     def __getitem__(self, item):
         if isinstance(item, (slice, int, tuple)):
             return self._crop_from_slices(item)
@@ -774,14 +802,17 @@ def get_center(self, lps: bool = False) -> TypeTripletFloat:
     def set_check_nans(self, check_nans: bool) -> None:
         self.check_nans = check_nans
 
-    def plot(self, **kwargs) -> None:
+    def plot(self, return_fig: bool = False, **kwargs) -> None | Figure:
         """Plot image."""
         if self.is_2d():
             self.as_pil().show()
         else:
             from ..visualization import plot_volume  # avoid circular import
 
-            plot_volume(self, **kwargs)
+            figure = plot_volume(self, **kwargs)
+            if return_fig:
+                assert figure is not None
+                return figure
 
     def show(self, viewer_path: TypePath | None = None) -> None:
         """Open the image using external software.