Target-specific superparamagnetic MR contrast agents

✍ Scribed by Ralph Weissleder

• Book ID: 102531570
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 278 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0740-3194
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.1910220209

✦ Synopsis

Progress in the development of target-specific paramagnetic MR contrast agents has been limited by the fact that large quantities of paramagnetic ions (e.g., gadolinium, dysprosium, manganese) need to be attached to target-specific camer molecules, a concept which often is not feasible without alteration of the affinity of the carrier molecule. It was initially hoped that superparamagnetic iron oxides, with their significantly higher magnetic susceptibility ( 2-3 orders of magnitude over paramagnetic ions), would allow in vivo detection by MR at lower concentrations ( 1 ) . An important step in the design of target-specific superparamagnetic MR contrast agents was the development of small tracer compounds which pass through capillary fenestra, interendothelial junctions, or vesicles to reach the extravascular space. Most recently, receptor-specific and antibody-labeled agents have been successfully employed for MR imaging.