Summary A "hot spot" magnetic resonance (MR) imaging cell tracking technique has been developed that allows direct detection of dysprosium- or thulium-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-α,α',α'',α'''-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTMA)-labeled protons inside cells. These highly shifted protons may allow specific detection of multiple cell types because it does not rely on acquiring the proton signal from bulk water.