ABSTRACT
A new era dawned in the history of medical diagnosis after the discovery of the x-ray by Roentgen. Since the inception of x-ray technology for medical imaging, the invention of noninvasive methodologies and the exploration of their applications in various elds such as clinical diagnosis, cellular
25.3.1.3 Contrast Agent Loaded Dendrimers in Blood Pool Imaging ................ 581 25.3.1.4 Contrast Agent Loaded Dendrimers in Liver Imaging ......................... 581 25.3.1.5 Contrast Agent Loaded Dendrimers in Tumor Imaging ....................... 582
25.3.2 Dendrimers as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in Computed Tomography ......................................................................................................... 582
25.4 Polymeric Nanoparticles .................................................................................................... 582 25.4.1 Polymeric Nanoparticles as Carriers for Contrast Agents
Used in γ Scintigraphy ......................................................................................... 582 25.4.2 Polymeric Nanoparticles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in
Magnetic Resonance ............................................................................................ 583 25.4.3 Polymeric Nanoparticles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in
Computed Tomography ........................................................................................ 583 25.4.4 Polymeric Nanoparticles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in
Positron Emission Tomography ........................................................................... 583 25.5 Lipid Nanoparticles ............................................................................................................ 583
25.5.1 Lipid Nanoparticles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in Imaging ............... 584 25.6 Magnetic Nanoparticles ..................................................................................................... 584
25.6.1 Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Lymph Node Metastases Detection ................................................. 584 25.6.1.1 Mechanism of Action of Lymphotropic Superparamagnetic
Iron Oxide ......................................................................................586 25.7 Ferro uids .......................................................................................................................... 586 25.8 Emulsions ........................................................................................................................... 587
25.8.1 Emulsions as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging ......................................................................................... 587 25.8.1.1 Emulsion-Encapsulated Per uorocarbon Nanoparticles in Magnetic
Resonance Imaging for Fibrin Detection .............................................. 587 25.8.1.2 Emulsion-Encapsulated Per uorocarbon Nanoparticles in Magnetic
Resonance Imaging for Fibrin Detection In Vivo Studies .................... 589 25.8.2 Emulsions as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in Computed Tomography ....... 589 25.8.3 Emulsions as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in Ultrasonography ................ 591
25.9 Polymeric Micelles ............................................................................................................ 591 25.9.1 Polymeric Micelles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in γ Scintigraphy ....... 592 25.9.2 Polymeric Micelles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in
Magnetic Resonance Imaging.............................................................................. 592 25.9.3 Polymeric Micelles as Carriers for Contrast Agents Used in
Computed Tomography ........................................................................................ 592 25.10 Quantum Dots (Nanocrystals, Quantum Dots, and Nanodots) ......................................... 593
25.10.1 Quantum Dots for Cancer Detection ................................................................... 594 25.10.2 Quantum Dots in Sentinel Lymph Node Imaging ............................................... 594
25.11 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 596 Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................. 596 Symbols.......................................................................................................................................... 597 References ...................................................................................................................................... 598
biology, and drug discovery have been continuous. The noninvasive imaging of various organs, tissues, or cells or various pathologies has been conducted with contrast agents. These contrast agents have become a mainstay in modern medicinal and biological research, and many reports now discuss the future scope and commercialization prospects. The sales of medical imaging contrast agents reached $1.41 billion in 2003 and are expected to rise to $2.58 billion by 2009 in the United States alone.
