Premium
Structure–Relaxivity Relationships among Targeted MR Contrast Agents
Author(s) -
Caravan Peter,
Zhang Zhaoda
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201101364
Subject(s) - chemistry , contrast (vision) , nuclear magnetic resonance , nanotechnology , artificial intelligence , computer science , physics , materials science
Paramagnetic gadolinium(III) complexes are widely used to increase contrast in magnetic resonance (MR) images. Contrast enhancement depends on the concentration of the gadolinium complex and on its relaxivity, an inherent property of the complex. Increased relaxivity results in greater image contrast or the ability to detect the contrast agent at a lower concentration. An increase in the relaxivity enables the imaging of abundant molecular targets. Relaxivity depends on the structure of the complex, kinetics of inner‐sphere and second‐sphere water exchange, and on the rotational dynamics of the molecule. The latter, and in some cases the former, properties of the complex change when it is bound to its target. All of these properties can be rationally tuned to enhance relaxivity. In this Microreview, we summarize our efforts in understanding and optimizing the relaxivity of contrast agents targeted to serum albumin and to fibrin.