In this study we present an orthogonal magnetic field gradient system for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) microimaging applications. The construction details are given for a prototype assembly for proton microscopy inside a 50-mm vertical bore magnet, which is designed to fit into a commercial 300-MHz NMR probe. This system has been used to acquire images of the human spinal cord in vitro. Its performance has been evaluated and compared to that predicted by computer simulation.