Strategies for Optimizing Water-Exchange Rates of Lanthanide-Based Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• Main Authors: Matthew J. Allen, Buddhima N. Siriwardena-Mahanama
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2013-08-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: magnetic resonance imaging; contrast agents; PARACEST; water-exchange rate
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/18/8/9352

This review describes recent advances in strategies for tuning the water-exchange rates of contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Water-exchange rates play a critical role in determining the efficiency of contrast agents; consequently, optimization of water-exchange rates, among other parameters, is necessary to achieve high efficiencies. This need has resulted in extensive research efforts to modulate water-exchange rates by chemically altering the coordination environments of the metal complexes that function as contrast agents. The focus of this review is coordination-chemistry-based strategies used to tune the water-exchange rates of lanthanide(III)-based contrast agents for MRI. Emphasis will be given to results published in the 21st century, as well as implications of these strategies on the design of contrast agents.