Abstract: A review of recent developments and applications of high field NMR (i. e., non-imaging) of biological fluids such as urine and plasma to clinical medicine is given. Methods of sample pre-treatment and commonly used NMR techniques are discussed. Finally examples are drawn from the literature of how NMR can be used as an aid in the diagnosis of metabolic and diseased states. It is shown that molecular dynamics, together with concentration, play an important role in determining what species are observable. Molecular dynamics influences relaxation and differences in relaxation between species affords a means of spectral editing. Differences in molecular dynamics may also have diagnostic potential.

Key words: Biological fluids, Clinical medicine, Diagnosis, NMR