Researchers Develop Highly Effective Metal-Free MRI Contrast Agent
 

Researchers Develop Highly Effective Metal-Free MRI Contrast Agent
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In order to better see certain features inآ*MRI scans, patients are often injected withآ*gadolinium-based contrast agents. They seem fairly in**cuous for healthy people, but young children and those with poorly functioning kidneys can be seriously affected. Side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea can create further problems for an already sick patient. Scientists from MIT and the University of Nebraska have been working to develop an MRI contrast agent that does **t use gadolinium metal, but that instead relies on organic nitroxide compounds.

https://www.medgadget.com/wp-content...rast-agent.jpgJust reported on in journal ACS Central Science, the metal-free nitroxide-functionalized brush-arm star polymer organic radical contrast agents (BASP-ORCAs) are both bright under MRI and don’t wash away as quickly as previously developed nitroxide-based agents. This makes them very applicable to spotting tumors, as achieving high e**ugh concentrations of a contrast agent for long e**ugh is a key to making it properly visible during imaging. It may also be useful in detecting whether an anticancer drug is working in the first few days after administration.

Additionally, the contrast agent may also end up being utilized to ferry ***** and seek outآ*tumors using targeted antibodies, which, combined with simultaneous imaging may result in a very powerful tool to diag**se, monitor, and kill cancers.

Study in journalآ*ACS Central Science: Nitroxide-Based Macromolecular Contrast Agents with Unprecedented Transverse Relaxivity and Stability for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors…

Via: MIT…

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