The present invention provides an imaging unit which can image small animals inexpensively and with high resolution. The imaging detector 22 of the imaging unit includes gradient magnetic field coils having a pair of bucket-shaped coils 51-53, 61-63 having the bottoms opposed to each other and generating gradient magnetic fields between the par of bucket-shaped coils 51-53, 61-63, and a detection coil 82 accommodated between the pair of bucket-shaped coils 51-53, 61-63, a housing portion 30 provided between the pair of bucket-shaped coils 51-53, 61-63 and housing an object to be imaged, and a detection coil 82 provided in the housing portion 30 and positioned near the housed object to be imaged.
