The manganese(II) ion has many favorable properties that lead to its potential use as an MRI contrast agent: high spin number, long electronic relaxation time, labile water exchange. The present work describes the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a novel Mn(II) complex (MnL1) based on EDTA and also contains a moiety that noncovalently binds the complex to serum albumin, the same moiety used in the gadolinium based contrast agent MS-325. Ultrafiltration albumin binding measurements (0.1 mM, pH 7.4, 37 degrees C) indicated that the complex binds well to plasma proteins (rabbit: 96 +/- 2% bound, human: 93 +/- 2% bound), and most likely to serum albumin (rabbit: 89 +/- 2% bound, human 98 +/- 2% bound). Observed relaxivities (+/- 5%) of the complex were measured (20 MHz, 37 degrees C, 0.1 mM, pH 7.4) in HEPES buffer (r(1) = 5.8 mM(-)(1) s(-)(1)), rabbit plasma (r(1) = 51 mM(-)(1) s(-)(1)), human plasma (r(1) = 46 mM(-)(1) s(-)(1)), 4.5% rabbit serum albumin (r(1) = 47 mM(-)(1) s(-)(1)), and 4.5% human serum albumin (r(1) = 48 mM(-)(1) s(-)(1)). The water exchange rate was near optimal for an MRI contrast agent (k(298) = 2.3 +/- 0.9 x 10(8) s(-)(1)). Variable temperature NMRD profiles indicated that the high relaxivity was due to slow tumbling of the albumin-bound complex and fast exchange of the inner sphere water. The concept of a high relaxivity Mn(II)-based contrast agent was validated by imaging at 1.5 T. In a rabbit model of carotid artery injury, MnL1 clearly delineated both arteries and veins while also distinguishing between healthy tissue and regions of vessel damage.