Method to enhance NMR imaging using chelated paramagnetic ions

A method of imaging body tissue in a patient, comprising subjecting the patient to NMR tomography and prior to performing the NMR tomography administering to the patient an effective amount of a pharmaceutical agent for affecting the relaxation times of atoms in body tissues undergoing NMR diagnosis, whereby image contrast is enhanced, said agent comprising an amount, effective to affect such relaxation times, of a paramagnetic, physiologically compatible chelate complex of an ion and, as a ligand, an acyclic or cyclic complexing agent containing organic nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen or sulfur, the complexed ion being an ion of a lanthanide element of atomic numbers 58-70;

• and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of enhancing NMR imageability of a patient comprising administering to the patient an amount, effective to enhance NMR image contrast, of a physiologically compatible chelate complex of a paramagnetic ion.

A method of enhancing NMR imageability of a patient comprising administering to the patient an amount, effective to enhance NMR image contrast, of a physiologically compatible chelate complex of a paramagnetic ion having as a ligand a complexing agent containing organic nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen or sulfur.

A method of conducting NMR imaging, comprising NMR imaging a patient to whom there has been administered an amount effective to enhance NMR image contrast of a physiologically compatible chelate complex of a paramagnetic ion, whereby an NMR image of enhanced contrast is obtained.

A method of conducting NMR imaging, comprising NMR imaging a patient to whom there has been administered an amount effective to enhance NMR image contrast of a physiologically compatible chelate complex of a paramagnetic ion having as ligand a complexing agent containing organic nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen or sulfur, whereby an NMR image of enhanced contrast is obtained.

A method of imaging body tissue in a patient, comprising subjecting the patient to NMR tomography and prior to performing the NMR tomography administering to the patient an effective amount of a pharmaceutical agent for affecting the relaxation times of atoms in body tissue undergoing NMR diagnosis, whereby image contrast is enhanced, said agent comprising an amount, effective to affect such relaxation times, of a paramagnetic, physiologically compatible chelate complex of an ion of a transition metal of atomic numbers 21-29, 42, or 44;

• and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of imaging body tissue in a patient, comprising subjecting the patient to NMR tomography and prior to performing the NMR tomography administering to the patient an effective amount of a pharmaceutical agent for affecting the relaxation times of atoms in body tissues undergoing NMR diagnosis, whereby image contrast is enhanced, said agent comprising an amount, effective to affect such relaxation times, of a paramagnetic physiologically compatible chelate complex of an ion and, as a ligand, an acyclic or cyclic complexing agent containing organic nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen or sulfur, the complexed ion being an ion of a transition metal of atomic numbers 21-29, 42, or 44;

• and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of enhancing an NMR image, comprising obtaining an enhanced NMR image by NMR imaging a human to whom there has been administered an amount, effective to enhance NMR image contrast, of a physiologically compatible chelate complex of a paramagnetic ion.