Method and apparatus for improvement of magnetic resonance imaging contrast

A magnetic resonance method for causing signals generated by common nuclei spins to be modulated by local variations in magnetic susceptibility, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) producing a magnetic field to orient molecular dipoles of a sample along a Z axis of an X,Y,Z axis Cartesian coordinate system;
• b) applying at least a first radio frequency (RF) pulse along the Y axis, the first RF pulse exhibiting a frequency that is a resonant frequency of nuclei present in the sample;
• c) applying a first gradient pulse along the Z axis to cause said nuclei to precess at rates that are dependent upon a field established by the gradient pulse;
• d) applying at least a second RF pulse at the resonant frequency of nuclei in the sample;
• and
• e) applying one or more additional pulses to enable spatial resolution of sensed signals from said samples and sensing said signals, said sensed signals resulting from magnetization of the nuclei between the at least first RF pulse and the at least second RF pulse.