CONTRAST AGENTS IN MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE LIVER - PRESENT AND FUTURE

New contrast agents are being developed by drug companies to better im age the liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They can be divided in to hepatobiliary agents (Gd-EOB-DTPA, Gd-BOPTA, Mangafodipir) and nano particulate agents directed to the reticulo-endothelial system (ferumo xides, SHU 555A). After intravenous injection, all these agents concen trate in the liver and induce profound signal changes. Particulate age nts induce predominantly a darkening of the liver parenchyma, while he patobiliary agents induce a brightening. In both cases, liver-lesion c onspicuity is enhanced, leading to a better visualization of the lesio n. After a description of the principal pharmacokinetic characteristic s of the compounds, this review paper summarizes the utility of the ag ents in the detection and characterization of focal liver diseases. (C ) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.