Gadolinium Contrast Agents in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has proven to be one of the most powerful clinical diagnostic tools. Based on chemical principles discovered in the 1940s, MRI uses magnetic fields to excite bulk water protons throughout the body, creating an image from their responses. Although useful for the diagnosis of a variety of diseases and conditions, a lack of image clarity can result in incorrect or missed diagnoses. Due to the inherent challenges with MRI, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are used to modulate the response of the bulk water protons to the external magnetic fields, subsequently increasing the image contrast. Here, we discuss GBCAs and their role in overcoming the challenges with magnetic resonance (MR) image clarity.