Patent ID: 8922209

Claim:
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method comprising: imaging a subject that has been administered with a contrast agent or endogenous substance using an MRI machine, said contrast agent or endogenous substance binding to target molecules in said subject and demonstrating a magnetic field-dependent variation in one or more MRI properties, wherein during said imaging: the strength of the static polarizing magnetic field of said MRI machine is shifted in different directions so that said subject is exposed to a variable magnetic field that highlights the magnetic field-dependent variation in the one of more MRI properties of said contrast agent or endogenous substance, an image in the presence of said static polarizing magnetic field following a shift in the strength thereof in one direction is acquired and then, an image in the presence of said static polarizing magnetic field following a shift in the strength thereof in the opposite direction is acquired; and subtracting the acquired images to yield an enhanced contrast image.