Eovist® (other brand name Primovist™) is a organ specific MRI contrast agent for the imaging, detection and characterization of liver conditions, including liver tumors, cysts, as well as other malignant and benign lesions. It is a water-soluble ethoxybenzyl derivative of Gd-DTPA. This compound is taken up by the hepatocytes (approximately 30% of the dose goes to the hepatocytes) and is equally excreted renal and biliary in humans. Excretion of Gd-EOB-DTPA in the bile may also permit visualization of both the gall bladder and the bile ducts.
Eovist® brightens the signal of T1 weighted MR images immediately after contrast administration. Dynamic and accumulation phase imaging can also be performed after bolus injection of Eovist®. The hepatocytes uptake will increase the signal intensity of normal liver parenchyma at 10 to 20 minutes after injection. This results in improved lesion-to-liver contrast because malignant tumors (metastases, the majority of hepatocellular carcinomas) do not contain either hepatocytes or their functioning is hampered.

WARNING: Gadolinium-based contrast agents increase the risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with acute or chronic severe renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate less than 30 mL/min/1.73m²), or acute renal insufficiency of any severity due to the hepato-renal syndrome or in the perioperative liver transplantation period.

See also Drug Development and Approval Process USA, Contrast Medium, Hepatobiliary Contrast Agents, Tumor Specific Agents and Molecular Imaging.

Short name: Gd-BOPTA, generic name: Gadobenate dimeglumine
A paramagnetic MRI contrast agent (small molecular weight Gd-chelate) with 0.5 and 0.25 molar concentration.
The albumin-mediated relaxation enhancement may result in advantages for Gd-BOPTA over Gd-DTPA and other gadolinium agents in poorly vascularized, small, or lesions with low enhancement and in tumors with high concentrations of albumin. The substance is excreted partly by the kidneys (75-90%), partly by the biliary system (10-25%). The uptake in the liver is about 5% in humans. It is bolus injectable.

See Contrast Agents and MultiHance®.

(Gadolite® oral Suspension) An oral paramagnetic MRI contrast agent to enhance delineation of the bowel. Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates with large holes that can provide a temporary home for guest molecules like gadolinium. Zeolites modified with Gd (III) are effective positive MRI contrast agents for gastrointestinal application.

Short name: Gd-HP-DO3A, generic name: Gadoteridol injection, chemical compound: Gd-1,4,7-tris(carbonylmethyl)-10-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane
(ProHance®) A nonionic MRI contrast agent with a low molecular weight complex of gadolinium (macrocyclic chelate, which tightly binds the Gd atom).
Gadoteridol does not cross the blood brain barrier. If the barrier is damaged, gadoteridol will penetrate into lesions such as tumors. It also highlights areas of increased vascularity so it has been used to improve the delimitation of lesions elsewhere in the body.
Apart from its paramagnetic effects, gadoteridol has no pharmacological activity in the body. After intravenous injection, most of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine within 24 hours.

See also Contrast Agents and ProHance®.

After a bleeding, blood goes through several transitions regarding magnetic properties, intra- and extracellular distribution and content of proteins and water. Oxyhaemoglobin is degraded to deoxyhaemoglobin and further to methaemoglobin, ferritin and haemosiderin. These molecules can be characterized by their magnetic susceptibility effect. Oxyhaemoglobin is diamagnetic with no practical influence on the magnetic field. All degradation products are paramagnetic (deoxyhaemoglobin, methaemoglobin) or even superparamagnetic (ferritin, haemosiderin).

See also Haemoglobin, Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Contrast.