The invention provides a method of magnetic resonance imaging of regional blood
oxygenation which comprises administering into the vasculature of a vascularized
human or non-human animal subject a T2 blood pool contrast agent, detecting
a magnetic resonance signal from at least part of the vasculature of said subject
into which said contrast agent distributes, and manipulating said signal to generate
an indication of the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) in at least part
of said vasculature.
