MRI IMAGE ENHANCEMENT OF BONE AND RELATED TISSUE USING COMPLEXES OF PARAMAGNETIC CATIONS AND POLYPHOSPHONATE LIGANDS

摘要

Polyphosphonate ligands containing three or more phosphonate groups, combined wi th paramagnetic metal cations and adminictered in the form of pharmacologically acceptable salts, are useful as MR I contrast enhancement agents, which tend to localize in bone tissue without being conjugated to bone-specific biomolecules. Triazacyclononanes and tetraazacyclododecanes, with dihydroxyphosphorylmethyl or dihydroxyphosphorylethyl groups, optionally su bstituted at the methyl or ethyl bridges with alkyl, aryl, hydroxyl or amino groups, are particularly preferred.