title: Macromolecular contrast agents for MR mammography: current status.
abstract: Macromolecular contrast media (MMCM) encompass a new class of diagnostic drugs that can be applied with dynamic MRI to extract both physiologic and morphologic information in breast lesions. Kinetic analysis of dynamic MMCM-enhanced MR data in breast tumor patients provides useful estimates of tumor blood volume and microvascular permeability, typically increased in cancer. These tumor characteristics can be applied to differentiate benign from malignant lesions, to define the angiogenesis status of cancers, and to monitor tumor response to therapy. The most immediate challenge to the development of MMCM-enhanced mammography is the identification of those candidate compounds that demonstrate the requisite long intravascular distribution and have the high tolerance necessary for clinical use. Potential mammographic applications and limitations of various MMCM, defined by either experimental animal testing or clinical testing in patients, are reviewed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Technical University, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. daldrup@roe.med.tu-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Heike E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Daldrup-Link
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brasch
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003287:Contrast Media; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D003287:Contrast Media; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C058946:albumin-(gadolinium-DTPA); D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA