Radiography
Volume 13, Supplement 1 , Pages e5-e19, December 2007

Magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents: Overview and perspectives

  • Guo-Ping Yan

      Affiliations

    • School of Material Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073, PR China
    • School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Q4001, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Wuhan Institute of Technology, School of Material Science and Engineering, 693 Xiongchu Road, Wuhan 430073, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430073, PR China. Tel.: +86 27 63186388; fax: +86 27 87195661.
    • ,
  • Leslie Robinson

      Affiliations

    • School of Health Care Professions, University of Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester, M6 6PU, UK
    • ,
  • Peter Hogg

      Affiliations

    • School of Health Care Professions, University of Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester, M6 6PU, UK

Received 21 September 2005; accepted 31 July 2006.

Abstract 

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive clinical imaging modality, which has become widely used in the diagnosis and/or staging of human diseases around the world. Some MRI examinations include the use of contrast agents. The categorizations of currently available contrast agents have been described according to their effect on the image, magnetic behavior and biodistribution in the body, respectively. In this field, superparamagnetic iron oxide particles and soluble paramagnetic metal chelates are two main classes of contrast agents for MRI. This review outlines the research and development of MRI contrast agents. In future, the ideal MRI contrast agent will be focused on the neutral tissue- or organ-targeting materials with high relaxivity and specificity, low toxicity and side effects, suitable long intravascular duration and excretion time, high contrast enhancement with low dose in vivo, and with minimal cost.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Contrast agents, Paramagnetic, Superparamagnetic, Gadolinium(III), Tissue or organ-targeting

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PII: S1078-8174(06)00088-5

doi:10.1016/j.radi.2006.07.005

Radiography
Volume 13, Supplement 1 , Pages e5-e19, December 2007

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