Magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents comprising zinc-containing magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles

• Main Authors: CHEON JINWOO, JUN YOUNG-WOOK, JANG JUNG-TAK
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.06.2016
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSESC01D OR C01F; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OFSOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS; INDUCTANCES; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; MAGNETS; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; NANOTECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES; SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSFORMERS; TRANSPORTING

The present invention relates to an MRI contrast agent that includes zinc-containing water-soluble metal oxide nanoparticles and has an improved contrast effect. The zinc-containing water-soluble metal oxide nanoparticles are characterized by addition of zinc to a matrix comprising the metal oxide nanoparticles or by substitution of metal in the matrix, resulting in the improved contrast effect of MRI. In addition, the zinc-containing metal oxide nanoparticles of the present invention include the MRI contrast agent t having hybrid structures of "zinc-containing metal oxide nanoparticle-biologically/chemically active material" in which the nanoparticle is conjugated with a bioactive material such as proteins, antibodies, and chemical materials.