New contrast agent could make MRIs safer
(PHYSorg.com Medicine & Health)

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have taken a key step forward in developing a new, possibly safer contrast agent for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. Contrast enhanced MRI is a widely used diagnostic tool with over 30 million procedures performed annually. Currently, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are used for this purpose, but recently concerns have been raised about the long-term safety of the gadolinium metal ion. The study`s senior author is Eric M. Gale, Ph.D., assistant in Biomedical Engineering at MGH, and assistant professor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School (HMS).