Necrosis-avid contrast agents

NACAs Necrosis-Avid Contrast Agents SQUID Superconducting Quantum Interference Device... 

Ni Y, Cressen E, Adriaens P (2002) Necrosis avid contrast agents introducing nonporphyrin species. Acad Radiol 9 (Suppl 1) S98-S101... 

Gadolinium encapsulated liposomes are under development (Fossheim et al. 2000). The idea is to develop liposomes that undergo gel to liquid phase transition at a particular temperature i.e. they would behave as an on-off messenger, switched on when a particular temperature has been reached. Different liposomes would be sensitive to different temperatures so a specific liposome would be specific to an application either ablation or hyperthermia. Other contrast agents in development are necrosis avid agents (Ni et al. 2002). These are injected i.v. and taken up within areas of necrosis over a period of several hours and then persist for a few days. Correlation with histopathology shows that these agents can provide same day assessment but not same-session of treatment efficacy. 

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