WATER INSOLUBLE MANGANESE PARTICLES AS MAGNETIC RESONANCE CONTRAST ENHANCEMENT AGENTS, PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF THEM AND DIAGNOSTICAL METHOD FOR TRANSFORMATION OF ORGANS RICH IN MITOCHONDRIA

摘要

A magnetic resonance imaging composition for imaging of an organ rich in mitochondria comprising particles of a substantially insoluble manganese salt is described, together with a method of preparing the composition, which advantageously also contains a surfactant, which comprises contacting a manganese source with a counter ion source for a time and under conditions sufficient for the formation of said insoluble manganese salt. Preferably the organ rich in mitochondria is the liver, the particles are substantially nonmagnetic with a preferred particle size of less than about 10 microns and the insoluble manganese salt selected from the group consisting of manganese phosphate and manganese carbonate. A method of diagnosis comprising administering to a mammal a contrast effective amount of a composition of the particles is also described.