POLYIODINATED TRIGLYCERIDE ANALOGS AS POTENTIAL COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING AGENTS FOR THE LIVER

A series of glyceryl 2-oleoyl 1,3-bis[omega-(3-amino-2,4,6-triiodophen yl]) alkanoates was synthesized, radioiodinated with iodine-125, emuls ified, and evaluated for their ability to selectively localize in the liver for potential use as hepatographic agents in computed tomography . All seven analogs displayed rapid liver uptake wherein between 65 an d 78% of the injected dose accumulated in the liver by 30 min. Liver v alues ranged from 46 to 93% 3 h after injection which corresponded to liver to blood ratios ranging from 21 to 450. Moreover, subsequent eli mination of radioactivity from the liver was nearly linear with respec t to alkyl chain length. Analogs with longer alkyl chain length were e liminated from the liver more rapidly than their shorter chain counter parts. Because of their biochemical similarities to naturally occurrin g triglycerides, these novel analogs may prove useful not only for hig h-resolution anatomic imaging of focal liver lesions, but also for eva luating a variety of diffuse diseases known to affect hepatic function and biochemistry.