&NA;The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of the paramagnetic metalloporphyrin Mn‐TPPS4 (using Gd‐DTPA as the reference) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pigmented malignant melanoma in an animal model. High resolution MRI (2.0 T, 2.0 cm surface coil, T1‐weighted FLASH two‐dimensional sequence) was performed on 15 mice (C57b16) with intracutaneous implanted melanoma (B16F1) before and after intravenous administration of Gd‐DTPA (Magnevist, Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) and Mn‐TPPS4(Porphyrin Products, Logan, Utah, USA). The images were evaluated quantitatively by calculating the percentage enhancement, the slope of the signal intensity‐to‐time curves, the percentage increase in the signal intensity, and the signal‐to‐noise and contrast‐to‐noise ratios. The qualitative evaluation was accomplished by visual assessment of the enhancement, the demarcation of the tumours from the surrounding tissue, and the homogeneity of the tumours. Contrast medium‐enhanced images showed an increase in signal intensity for all the tumours, with no significant difference between the contrast media. Specific accumulation of the contrast media in the melanoma could not be proved. Demarcation of tumours from the surrounding tissue is better after administration of contrast media; regressive changed areas were better depicted.