The pathogenesis of radiocontrast nephropathy is poorly understood. In an animal model, inhibition of the synthesis of nitric oxide and prostaglandins appears to predispose rats to severe renal injury following the administration of radiocontrast. Here we have investigated whether administration of radiocontrast, as well as changes in renal medullary oxygenation following pharmacologic inhibition of nitric oxide and prostaglandin synthesis, might be evaluated by blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) MRI. Nineteen anesthetized (Inactin 100 mg/kg) rats were studied. BOLD MRI measurements were performed following administration of L‐NAME (N‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester, 10 mg/kg), Indomethacin (10 mg/kg), and a radiocontrast agent (sodium iothalamate 60%, 6 mL/kg). Marked sequential changes in medullary R, presumably reflecting decline in medullary pO₂, were noted after each of the pharmacological interventions employed. These results, obtained by noninvasive MRI, are consistent with prior direct recordings of pO₂ and doppler flow in the rat renal medulla after administration of L‐NAME, Indomethacin and iothalamate. Medullary oxygenation in rats was reduced by inhibition of the synthesis of prostaglandins and nitric oxide, as well as by intravenous injection of radiocontrast agents. BOLD MRI can noninvasively evaluate changes in medullary oxygenation in rats that appear to predispose acute renal failure. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:744–747. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.