TY - JOUR
AU - Williams, Robert
AB - The importance of contrast agents in enhancing diagnoses from magnetic resonance images has been established in numerous cases. However, the development of a potent tissue-specific contrast agent, as a sensitive probe for early detection and investigation of the physiological characteristics of a tumor, has not yet been realized in MR imaging (MRI). In nuclear scintigraphy the technique has been demonstrated; however, the poor spacial resolution inherent to the modality and the substantial dose of radioactivity administered to the patient has hindered its widespread use. This article will review the different classes of contrast agents in MRI, with special focus on the strategies involved in the development of targeted tissue-specific MRI contrast agents for the early detection of breast cancer. The features of a new class of contrast agents for targeted MR imaging will be described. Gadolinium-containing melanin polymers (GMP's) have been synthesized as MR contrast agents in our laboratory. These GMP's demonstrate significantly higher relaxivities than any other paramagnetic contrast agents reported; consequently, they are extremely effective contrast enhancing, imaging agents by themselves. The successful coupling of these potent GMP's to a monoclonal antibody specific for breast carcinoma, the 323/A3 monoclonal antibody, suggests thatin vivo tissue-specific MR imaging, at the receptor level, will become feasible in the near future.
TI - New magnetic resonance imaging techniques for the detection of breast cancer
JF - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
DO - 10.1007/BF00666213
DA - 2004-11-04
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer-journals/new-magnetic-resonance-imaging-techniques-for-the-detection-of-breast-h3vFW8bh0y
SP - 119
EP - 135
VL - 32
IS - 1
DP - DeepDyve
ER -