MACROMOLECULAR IMAGING AGENTS FOR LIVER IMAGING

摘要

Macromolecular imaging agents comprising a polyalkylenimine dendrimer conjugated to a metal chelate are disclosed. In particular embodiment, the imaging agent is a diaminobutane-core polypropylenimine dendrimer having surface amino groups conjugated to gadolinium metal chelates. Administration of this gadolinium conjugate to a subject permits visualization of liver micrometastases as small as about 0.3mm in a magnetic resonance image of the subject's liver.