High-performance dendritic contrast agents for X-ray computed tomography imaging using potent tetraiodobenzene derivatives

Suyeon You, Hye Youn Jung, Chaewoon Lee, Yun Hui Choe, Ju Young Heo, Gil Tae Gang, Sang Kyung Byun, Won Kon Kim, Chul Ho Lee, Dong Eog Kim, Young Il Kim, Yoonkyung Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

The use of computed tomography (CT) for vascular imaging is critical in medical emergencies requiring urgent diagnostic decisions, such as cerebral ischemia and many cardiovascular diseases. Small-molecule iodinated contrast media are often injected intravenously as radiopaque agents during CT imaging to achieve high contrast enhancement of vascular systems. The rapid excretion rate of these agents is overcome by injecting a significantly high dose of iodine, which can have serious side effects. Here we report a simple method to prepare blood-pool contrast agents for CT based on dendrimers for the first time using tetraiodobenzene derivatives as potent radiopaque moieties. Excellent in vivo safety has been demonstrated for these small (13-22 nm) unimolecular water-soluble dendritic contrast agents, which exhibit high contrast enhancement in the blood-pool and effectively extend their blood half-lives. Our method is applicable to virtually any scaffold with suitable surface groups and may fulfill the current need for safer, next-generation iodinated CT contrast agents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)258-267
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Controlled Release
Volume226
DOIs
StatePublished - 28 Mar 2016

Keywords

  • Computed tomography
  • Dendrimers
  • In vivo imaging
  • Iodinated contrast agents
  • Nanomedicine

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