System and Methods for Organ-Targeted Multinuclear Functional and Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A method of molecular imaging of a body region of an individual comprising:

• administering a molecular imaging agent that contains one or more X-nuclei selected from the group consisting of 19F, 23Na, 129Xe, 31P and 13C, to an individual;
• allowing the molecular imaging agent to distribute through the body of the individual, said imaging agent being metabolizable under certain conditions within the body of the individual;
• acquiring an anatomical image of a body region of interest of the individual using a 1H coil;
• acquiring one or more X-nuclei image(s) of the molecular imaging agent and any metabolites of the molecular imaging agent within the body region of the individual using an X-nuclei coil specific for at least one of the X-nuclei in the molecular imaging agent;
• superimposing the one or more X-nuclei image(s) of the body region of interest on the anatomical image of the body region of interest, thereby localizing metabolic activity and biodistribution of the molecular imaging agent within the body region of interest.