Short name: SHU 555 C, preliminary trade name: Supravistâ„¢
An ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide under development as a positive enhancing blood pool agent (MRI contrast agent phase III, Bayer Schering Pharma AG). Supravist™ can be administered as an iv. bolus up to doses of 80 μmol/kg.

See also Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide and Blood Pool Agents.

A bolus is a rapid infusion of high dose contrast agent. Dynamic and accumulation phase imaging can be performed after bolus injection. Since the transit time of the bolus through the tissue is only a few seconds, high temporal resolution imaging can be required to obtain sequential images during the wash in and wash out of the contrast material and, therefore, resolve the first pass of the tracer.
For the same injected dose of contrast agent the injection rate (and, consequently, the total injected volume) modifies the bolus peak profile. Increasing the injection rate produces a sharpening of the peak (Cmax increase, Tmax decrease, peak length decrease). At a low injection rate, the first pass presents a plateau form. Substantial changes in the gadolinium concentrations during signal acquisition induce artifacts. Furthermore, the haemodynamic parameters (cardiac output, blood pressure) influence the bolus profile. The characteristics of gadolinium agents are favorable in the early bolus phase, whereas the advantages of large complexes (e.g. blood pool agents) and ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) are most evident in the distribution phase.

An iron-based contrast agent with large molecular size, which prevents diffusion into body tissues and will be developed for MR imaging of the liver (taken up by macrophages), tumor microvasculature and microvessel permeability. The blood half live of the particles with 11-20 nm diameter is 3-4 hours.
At this time the development of Clariscanâ„¢ is discontinued.

See also NC100150 Injection and Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide.

Combidex® is the brand name (same as Sinerem®) for an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) in the development pipeline to detect metastatic disease in lymph nodes. Metastatic lymph nodes show less uptake of this MRI contrast agent, which results in less signal decrease and allows the differentiation of normal lymph nodes from normal-sized, metastatic nodes. Combidex® has also potential to be used as a functional molecular imaging agent.
In March 2005, AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc received an approvable letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with respect to Combidex subject to certain conditions.
See also Ferumoxtran, Drug Development and Approval Process USA, Molecular Imaging and Classifications, Characteristics, etc.

Short name: Fe O-BPA, central moiety: Fe3+/Fe2+
An ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide under development (preclin.) as a vascular contrast agent for MR angiography.

See also USPIO.