The present invention relates to the use of a combination of several contrast agents having different properties with respect to imaging representation.

To solve the problem of differentiating veins from lymphatics in MRI images, among other uses, the disclosed embodiments relate to compositions, kits, systems, and methods that include an MRI contrast agent and an MRI suppression agent that is also a blood pool agent. Using appropriate MRI techniques, the MRI suppression agent will suppress signal in its location, while signal enhanced by the MRI contrast agent in other locations will not be suppressed. The result is a clarified MRI image with only non-vascular regions enhanced.

A method of diagnosing a condition of a living subject that uses gadoxeate disodium as a contrast agent for making images such as CT scans of the biliary tree and related anatomical structures. The method uses x-ray radiation generated with excitation voltages in the range of 70 KV to 140 KV. The x-ray radiation is preferably filtered to suppress or practically remove x-rays having energy lower than 50.2 KeV.

The present invention provides a method of administering a therapeutic agent directly to the brain parenchym through a compromised region of the blood-brain barrier in a subject having a brain disorder, that involves first disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) at an isolated region by locally administering an effective amount of a hyperosmolar agent at said region using a catheter, followed by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent. The step of disrupting the BBB is carried out with non-invasive MR (magnetic resonance) imaging with a contrast agent to visualize local parenchymal transcatheter perfusion at said isolated BBB region thereby indicating that the BBB region is compromised. The method of the invention allows for highly precise drug delivery to the brain through blood brain barrier disruption at specifically controlled regions.

A new self-magnetic metal-salen complex compound and its derivatives are provided. The present invention is a metal-salen complex compound including any one of the following compounds. ##STR00001##

The current invention provides metal ion complexes with an organic ligand, compositions comprising such complexes. In particular, these complexes are capable of reacting with a reactive oxygen species in a subject and increase their T.sub.1-weighted relaxivities so a clinical MRI scanner can detect an oxidative stress hotspot in the subject. The disclosed complexes also exhibit excellent anti-oxidant properties and low cell toxicity, therefore can be used as a therapeutic agent to relieve oxidative stress in the subject, or as both a MRI contrast agent and therapeutic agent in a composition.

This disclosure relates to compounds of formula (I) shown below: [formula (I)], or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds can be used as imaging probes, e.g., for diagnosis of fibrosis or fibrogenesis.

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to reverse-micellar systems comprising at least an active agent, an acylglycerol, a sterol, lecithin, ethanol and water, for use in chelation and/or sequestering of a radionuclide and/or a metal in a patient. The invention also relates to the reverse-micellar systems and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said reverse-micellar systems.

The present disclosure is directed to compounds, diagnostic agents, and related methods. In some cases, methods for treating patients are provided. More specifically, the disclosure provides compounds, diagnostic agents, and kits for detecting and/or imaging and/or monitoring elastin rich tissues. In addition, the disclosure provides methods of detecting and/or imaging and/or monitoring the presence of coronary plaque, carotid plaque, iliac/femoral plaque, aortic plaque, renal artery plaque, plaque of any arterial vessel, aneurism, vasculitis, other diseases of the arterial wall, and/or damage or structural changes in ligaments, uterus, lungs or skin, as indicated by changes in total vessel wall area, internal lumen size, and exterior arterial perimeter.

Novel, non-toxic cobalt-based contrast and imaging agents for use in enhanced medical imaging modalities and processes are described, as well the manufacture of markers containing such contrast agents is described, and uses for such imaging markers and contrast agents in a variety of therapeutic applications and devices.