Gas-filled microbubbles as intravascular R(2)* contrast agent for liver MRI

Session 73: Contrast Agents & Microvascular Function: Methods - Oral presentationGas-filled microbubbles possess the potential to become a unique MR contrast agent because of their magnetic susceptibility effect, high biocompatibility and unique cavitation and sonoporation properties. In this study, microbubble susceptibility induced changes were investigated using custom-made albumin-coated microbubbles and a commercially available lipid-based clinical ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue® in rat livers in vivo with dynamic susceptibility weighted MRI at 7T. The results demonstrate the potential of gas-filled microbubble as an intravascular R(2)* contrast agent for liver MRI at high field.published_or_final_versionThe 17th Scientific Meeting & Exhibition of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), Honolulu, HI., 18-24 April 2009. In Proceedings of ISMRM 17th Scientific Meeting & Exhibition, 2009, p. 72