BIFUNCTIONAL CONTRAST AGENT COMPRISING A FLUORESCENT DYE AND AN MRI CONTRAST AGENT

• Main Authors: HANCU, LLEANA, AMARATUNGA, MOHAN, MARK, WICHT, DENYCE, KRAMER, DHAWALE, PARITOSH, WILLIAMS, AMY, CASEY, ISHAQUE, NADEEM, JOHNSON, BRUCE, FLETCHER, SYUD, FAISAL, AHMED
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 29.06.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES

This invention relates to multifunctional detection agents useful for providing high-resolution, in vivo imaging of biochemical activity in a living organism. Methods of using these multifunctional detection agents may comprise administering them into a living organism, and then estimating the localization of the detection agent using one modality (i.e., MRI), while concurrently estimating the level of biological activity using a second modality (i.e., optical imaging). One of the multifunctional detection agents comprises a magnetic resonance component and an optical imaging component. The magnetic resonance component comprises a contrast agent that is always activated or "on". The optical imaging component comprises a plurality of activatable contrast agents or dyes, at least two of which are different from one another, wherein at least one of the activatable contrast agents can be activated or turned "on" only in the presence of a particular event.