Magnavist™ a complex of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and Gd3+ is a clinically approved contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We have formed a derivative of DTPA that allows it to bind to silver or gold nanoparticles through a thioctic acid linkage (GdDTPA-TAA). The resulting contrast agent, GdDTPA-TAA, was bound to a 10nm diameter Ag nanoparticles. The ligand and its Gd complex were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and IR spectroscopy. The production of this type of construct opens the way for engineering increased specificity in a MR contrast agents.