Method for enhancing magnetic resonance imaging using an image altering agent containing an excess of chelating agent
AssigneeMallinckrodt Medical, Inc.
InventorsMark E. Bosworth, Ronald M. Hopkins
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Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of body organs and tissues is enhanced by administering to a living animal body a substantially nontoxic paramagnetic image altering agent comprised of a composition containing a chelate of a paramagnetic element, such as manganese, gadolinium or iron, carried by a liposome. The chelate is carried by or within the external surface of the liposome in such a manner that after arrival at or delivery to the desired organ or tissue site, the paramagnetic image altering agent is released in a diagnostically useful fashion.
Claims19
A method for enhancing NMR imaging of body organs and tissues which comprises administering a diagnostically effective amount of a substantially nontoxic paramagnetic image altering agent to a living animal body in a sufficient amount to provide enhancement of NMR images of said body organs and tissues, said paramagnetic image altering agent containing a chelate of a paramagnetic element and an excess of a chelating agent as a salt of said chelating agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.