Abstract: The present invention is directed, in general, to a contrast agent comprising a tetraazacyclododecane ligand and comprising a macrocyclic ring and a paramagnetic metal ion coordinated to the tetraazacyclododecane ligand. Pendent arms R, R?, R? and R?? attached to a ring nitrogen. The pendent arms have the general formula: ?C?HR1R2 and for three or more of the pendant arms a chirality of the carbon atoms C? are identical for each of three or more of the pendant arms. The R1 group is larger than hydrogen and R2 is selected from the group consisting of: an alcohol, amides, a carboxylate, phosphinates and a phosphonate. One or more substituents R6 is a group larger than a methyl group and is located on one or more ring carbons.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 14, 2003
Date of Patent:
March 14, 2006
Assignees:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Macrocyclics
Inventors:
A. Dean Sherry, Mark Woods, Zoltan Kovacs