STUDIES ON D-GALACTOSE-CONTAINING DTPA BI SAMIDE GADOLINIUM COMPLEXESAS LIVER-TARGETING MRI CONTRAST AGENTS

New lactose- or D-galactose-containing diethylenetriaminepentaacetic a cid bisamide ligands and their gadolinium complexes were synthesized b y the reaction of bis(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester) of diethylenetriamin epentaacetic acid with amino-containing lactose or D-galactose derivat ives, Chemical structures of ligands and Gd complexes were characteriz ed. In vitro spin-lattice relaxivity and acute toxicity in mice of the complexes have been preliminarily investigated. Magnetic Resonance Im aging for rabbit shows that the contrast agent bearing galactose could be targeted to the liver.