Methods for NMR microimaging of biological tissue are provided. Polymeric nanoparticles are provided as a contrast agent to subject tissue to be imaged. Each polymeric nanoparticle may include an iron oxide core that exhibits superparamagnetic properties that enhance tissue imaging when placed within a magnetic field, an anionic surfacant applied to the core, a polymeric layer that encapsulates the core and the anionic surfacant, and an antibody attached to the polymeric layer to facilitate attachment to the subject tissue. Following the provision of the polymeric nanoparticles as a contrast agent to the subject tissue, the subject tissue may be images utilizing a twenty-one Tesla microimaging technique.
