In a phantom study using a 0.3 tesla MR system the signal alterations, artifacts and image distortion induced by a bowel contrast medium containing superparamagnetic magnetite particles were evaluated. A concentration of 20 mg iron/l was most useful because it caused a significant signal reduction without disturbing artifacts and image distortion. The signal reduction was most pronounced on long TR/TE spin echo sequences. The appearance and distribution of artifacts are related to the direction of the static magnetic field and frequency encoding gradient. The size of artifacts is related to the concentration of the contrast medium and the band width used.