Abstract: The invention shows a method for obtaining temporally spaced images of tissues, including blood vessels, to reveal blood flow abnormalities within those tissues and vessels.

Abstract: An x-ray contrast medium containing a multinuclear complex of the formula (M.sub.6 (.mu..sub.3 B).sub.8 A.sub.v).sub.x L.sub.w, wherein M is Mo, W, Re Tc, V, Nb, Ta, Ru, or Fe; .mu..sub.3 B represent a tridentate bridging atom; A is a non-bridging atom; L is a ligand coordinately bonded to at least one M atom; x is a positive integer; and v and w are independently zero or positive integers.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of monitoring the vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects of a physiologically active substance administered to a human or non-human animal body, said method comprising the steps of: administering said substance into said body; administering into the systemic vasculature of said body a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular paramagnetic metal containing magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent; subjecting said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, said procedure being a fast imaging procedure having an image acquisition time of less than five seconds; and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to monitor the vasoconstriction or vasodilation induced by said substance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of paramagnetic materials, such as lanthanide chelates, as contrast agents in magnetometric analysis, especially imaging. The invention is particularly directed to structural and functional diagnosis or imaging.

Abstract: The invention provides for the use of a physiologically tolerable, particulate, free or matrix-borne, ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic or paramagnetic material for the manufacture of a diagnostic agent for magnetometric imaging of a human or non-human animal body.

Abstract: Linear oligomer polychelant compounds and chelates formed therewith have alternating chelant and linker moieties bound together by amide or ester moieties. The compounds have between 3 and 100 chelant moieties, at least one of which complexes a paramagnetic metal ion. The polychelants and especially their paramagnetic metal polychelates are particularly suitable for diagnostic imaging.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of paramagnetic materials, such as lanthanide chelates, as contrast agents in magnetometric analysis, especially imaging. The invention is particularly directed to structural and functional diagnosis or imaging.

Abstract: The invention provides the use of a physiologically tolerable, particulate, free or matrix-borne, ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic material for the manufacture of a diagnostic agent for administration into the gastrointestinal tract, the reproductive tract, the urinary tract, a closed body cavity (e.g. into the synovial fluid or the vasculature) or the musculature for magnetometric imaging of the human or non-human animal body.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of monitoring the vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects of a physiologically active substance administered to a human or non-human animal body, said method comprising the steps of: administering said substance into said body; administering into the systemic vasculature of said body a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular paramagnetic metal containing magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent; subjecting said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, said procedure being a fast imaging procedure having an image acquisition time of less than five seconds; and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to monitor the vasoconstriction or vasodilation induced by said substance.

Abstract: An imaging contrast medium comprising a physiologically tolerable multinuclear complex (as defined in claim 1) is disclosed. The multinuclear complex contains at least two, but preferably three or more contrast enhancing atoms. For X-ray or ultrasound imaging techniques heavy metal atoms are used to enhance contrast, whereas in Magnetic Resonance Imaging paramagnetic metal atoms are contrast enhancing. Molybdenum and tungsten are preferred contrast enhancing atoms. The medium may also be used therapeutically.

Abstract: There are disclosed polychelant compounds, that is multi-site metal chelating agents, and chelates formed therewith. The polychelants and especially their paramagnetic metal, heavy metal or radioactive metal polychelates are particularly suitable for use in diagnostic imaging, heavy metal detoxification or radiotherapy. The polychelants have a linear or branched oligomeric structure comprising alternating chelant and linker moieties bound together by amide or ester moieties the carbonyl groups whereof being adjacent the chelant moieties, each polychelant comprising at least two said chelant moieties capable of complexing a metal ion.

Abstract: The use of superparamagnetic particles and of paramagnetic materials (such as lanthanide chelates) as contrast agents in magnetometric analysis, especially imaging, and in particular structural and functional, diagnosis or imaging is described.

Abstract: There are provided polychelants and their metal chelates which are useful in diagnostic imaging and in radiotherapy and which comprise a plurality of macrocyclic chelant moieties, e.g, DOTA residues, conjugated to a polyamine backbone molecule, e.g, polylysine. To produce a site-specific polychelate, one or more of the macrocyclic chelant carrying backbone molecules may be conjugated to a site-directed macromolecule, e.g. a protein.

Abstract: There are disclosed polychelant compounds, that is multi-site metal chelating agents, and chelates formed therewith. The polychelants and especially their paramagnetic metal, heavy metal or radioactive metal polychelates are particularly suitable for use in diagnostic imaging, heavy metal detoxification or radiotherapy. The polychelants have a linear or branched oligomeric structure comprising alternating chelant and linker moieties bound together by amide or ester moieties the carbonyl groups whereof being adjacent the chelant moieties, each polychelant comprising at least two said chelant moieties capable of complexing a metal ion.

Abstract: N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)-alkylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)-1,2-cycloalkylenediamine-N,N'diacetic acids, and N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)-1,2-arylenediamine-N,N'diacetic acids, the corresponding monophosphate compounds and monoacetic acid compounds, and their salts and esters form stable, highly soluble chelates with paramagnetic metal ions, and are highly effective NMRI contrast agents. Preferred contrast agents are paramagnetic ion chelates of N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediamine-N,N'-diacet ic acid, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)trans-1,2-arylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, and the soluble calcium salts thereof.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging contrast media used to affect the relaxation times of atoms in body tissues undergoing NMR diagnosis are disclosed. Such media comprise (1) a paramagnetic, physiologically compatible complex of (a) a chelant consisting of a N-carboxy methylated tetraazacyclododecane, and (b) a paramagnetic ion of a lanthanide element of atomic numbers 59-70, or of a transition metal of atomic numbers 21-29, 42 or 44, or a physiologically compatible salt of such a complex, and (2) a toxicity-reducing amount of labile calcium ions. The labile calcium ions can be derived from a source other than a salt of said chelant, e.g. an inorganic or organic calcium salt. NMR image-enhancing compositions comprising NMR image-enhancing effective amounts of said contrast media and pharmaceutically acceptable diluents are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of detecting blood flow abnormality or variation in a human or non-human body, said method comprising administering into the cardiovascular system of a said body a contrast enhancing amount of an intravascular paramagnetic metal containing magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, subject said body to a magnetic resonance imaging procedure capable of generating from magnetic resonance signals from said body a series of temporally spaced images of at least a part of said body into which said agent passes, and detecting temporal variations in said signals or images whereby to identify regions of abnormal or modified blood flow in said body and to indicate the degree of blood flow abnormality or modification therein.

Abstract: The process of this invention for preparing Mn(II) chelate comprises forming the Mn(II) chelate by mixing manganese (II) oxide (insoluble) with an aqueous suspension comprising a molar equivalent or molar excess of the insoluble protonated chelating compound at a temperature of from 20.degree.to 50.degree. C. When the reaction is carried out with a protonated chelating agent in the absence of base, a precipitate of the protonated Mn(II) chelate is formed. A low osmolarity MN(II) chelate solution can be formed from the precipitates by dissolving them in an aqueous solution of base. When the initial chelate forming reaction is carried out in a solution containing a molar equivalent or excess of sodium hydroxide, a low osmolarity solution of the Mn(II) chelate is directly formed with most chelating agents. Preferred chelating compounds for this process include DPDP, DTPA, DCTA, EDTP, DOTA, DOXA, DO3A and EDTA.

Abstract: Manganese(II) chelates of N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)alkylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)-1,2-cycloalkylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)-1,2-arylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)alkylenediamine-N-acetic acids, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)-1,2-cycloalkylenediamine-N-acetic acids, N,N'-(pyridoxal)-1,2-arylenediamine-N-acetic acids, and their salts are highly stable, superior NMRI contrast agents. They maintain the manganese(II) ion in the +2 valence state. Preferred contrast agents are manganese(II) ion chelates of N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal)trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, and the salts and esters thereof.

Abstract: N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)-alkylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)-1,2-cycloalkylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, and N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)-1,2-arylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acids, the corresponding monophosphate compounds and monoacetic acid compounds, and their salts and esters form stable, highly soluble chelates with paramagnetic metal ions, and are highly effective NMRI contrast agents. Preferred contrast agents are paramagnetic ion chelates of N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)trans-1,2-cyclohexylenediamine-N,N'-diacet ic acid, N,N'-bis-(pyridoxal-5-phosphate)trans-1,2-arylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid, and the soluble calcium salts thereof.