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Review
. 2013;13(4):411-21.
doi: 10.2174/1568026611313040002.

Gd-based macromolecules and nanoparticles as magnetic resonance contrast agents for molecular imaging

Ching-Hui Huang  1 , Andrew Tsourkas
Affiliations
Review

Gd-based macromolecules and nanoparticles as magnetic resonance contrast agents for molecular imaging

Ching-Hui Huang et al. Curr Top Med Chem. 2013.

Abstract

As we move towards an era of personalized medicine, molecular imaging contrast agents are likely to see an increasing presence in routine clinical practice. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has garnered particular interest as a platform for molecular imaging applications due its ability to monitor anatomical changes concomitant with physiologic and molecular changes. One promising new direction in the development of MR contrast agents involves the labeling and/or loading of nanoparticles with gadolinium (Gd). These nanoplatforms are capable of carrying large payloads of Gd, thus providing the requisite sensitivity to detect molecular signatures within disease pathologies. In this review, we discuss some of the progress that has recently been made in the development of Gd-based macromolecules and nanoparticles and outline some of the physical and chemical properties that will be important to incorporate into the next generation of contrast agents, including high Gd chelate stability, high "relaxivity per particle" and "relaxivity density", and biodegradability.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clinally-approved and clinically-tested Gd-based contrast agents. All relaxivity values were acquired at 20 MHz, 310K.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Examples of Gd ligands that exhibit improved r1 relaxivity, compared with current clinically-approved agents. All relaxivity values were acquired at 20 MHz, 298K.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Examples of Gd-labeled macromolecules that have been developed as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Examples of Gd-based nanoparticles that have been developed as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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