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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Preparation and In Vitro Characterization of Dendrimer-based Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: December 4, 2016
Iopamidol: Exploring the potential use of a well-established x-ray contrast agent for MRI
Silvio Aime1, Luisella Calabi, Luca Biondi
1Dipartimento di Chimica IFM, Università di Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it
Iopamidol is one of the most common contrast media used for diagnostic CT-based clinical protocols. Chemically, this molecule contains two pools of mobile protons (amide and alcoholic) that are in exchange with water. At 7.05 T, pH 7.4, and 312 K, the exchange rate of the alcoholic protons is too fast to affect the NMR properties of water protons, whereas the slowly exchanging amide protons induce a T(2)-shortening effect on the "bulk" water signal that is detectable when the concentration is about 12 mM. Moreover, a more pronounced contrast is observed when the amide resonances are saturated by the application of an appropriate RF irradiation field, making iopamidol a potential chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) agent whose effect can be detected at a concentration as low as 7 mM (at 7.05 T). The exploitation of the MRI properties of iopamidol could facilitate novel and interesting diagnostic applications for combined MRI and CT studies.
Iopamidol is one of the most common contrast media used for diagnostic CT-based clinical protocols. Chemically, this molecule contains two pools of mobile protons (amide and alcoholic) that are in exchange with water. At 7.05 T, pH 7.4, and 312 K, the exchange rate of the alcoholic protons is too fast to affect the NMR properties of water protons, whereas the slowly exchanging amide protons induce a T(2)-shortening effect on the "bulk" water signal that is detectable when the concentration is about 12 mM. Moreover, a more pronounced contrast is observed when the amide resonances are saturated by the application of an appropriate RF irradiation field, making iopamidol a potential chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) agent whose effect can be detected at a concentration as low as 7 mM (at 7.05 T). The exploitation of the MRI properties of iopamidol could facilitate novel and interesting diagnostic applications for combined MRI and CT studies.
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