Patent ID: 7346384

Claim:
A method of magnetic resonance investigation of a sample, preferably a human or non-human animal body, said method comprising: i) obtaining a MR imaging agent containing in its molecular structure at least one storage and one detection non-zero nuclear spin nuclei of different gyromagnetic ratio values wherein said storage and said detection nuclei are present within the same molecule and wherein said storage and said detection nuclei are separated by 2 up to 5 chemical bonds; ii) nuclear spin polarising said storage nuclei in said MR imaging agent; iii) administering the polarised MR imaging agent to said sample; iv) subjecting said sample to a pulse sequence which causes polarisation to be transferred from said storage nuclei to at least one detection non- zero nuclear spin nuclei, wherein the gyromagnetic ratio of said detection nuclei is greater than that of said storage nuclei; v) exposing said sample to a radiation at a frequency selected to excite nuclear spin transitions in selected detection nuclei therein; vi) detecting magnetic resonance signals from said sample; and vii) optionally generating an image, dynamic flow data, diffusion data, perfusion data, physiological data or metabolic data from said detected signals.