Gadovist® is an extracellular, neutral macrocyclic (gadolinium (Gd) complex) MRI contrast agents for central nervous system indications, particularly suited for studies in which high doses are required or advantageous. Gadovist® (also Gadograf) was available in two concentrations, currently only Gadovist® 1.0 is marketed.
The product was approved in Switzerland in 1999 and in Germany in 2000. Gadovist® 1.0 is in USA currently in the drug development and approval process, particularly for magnetic resonance angiography.

WARNING: NEPHROGENIC SYSTEMIC FIBROSIS Gadolinium-based contrast agents increase the risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with acute or chronic severe renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate less than 30 mL/min/1.73m²), or acute renal insufficiency of any severity due to the hepato-renal syndrome or in the perioperative liver transplantation period.

See also Paramagnetic Contrast Agents and Gadobutrol.

The Germany-based pharmaceutical company is the result of the take-over of Schering AG by Bayer AG in 2006. The Bayer Schering Pharma AG is part of the Bayer HealthCare AG, which represents the pharmaceutical part of the Bayer Group. Activities of the Bayer Schering Pharma AG are Diagnostic Imaging, Hematology and Cardiology, Oncology, Primary Care, Specialized Therapeutics and Women's Healthcare. The diagnostic imaging part's contrast agents for MRI, x-ray and computed tomography are 'world-market leaders'.

MRI Contrast Agents:

Short name: Gd-DO3A-butriol, generic name: Gadobutrol
A paramagnetic contrast agent with 0.5 and 1.0 molar concentration.

See Contrast Agents and Gadovist®.

(Gd) Gadolinium is a Lanthanide element that is paramagnetic in its trivalent state.
This paramagnetic substance is used for MR imaging because of the effect of strongly decreasing the T1 relaxation times of the tissues to which gadolinium has access. When injected during magnetic resonance imaging, gadolinium will tend to change signal intensities by shortening the T1 time in its surroundings.
The relaxivity of gadolinium is an important measure of its efficacy, which is dependent on the chemical properties of the complex. The gadolinium ion cannot be used in its chloride, sulfate, or acetate forms because of poor tolerance and low solubility in water in the neutral pH range. Although toxic by itself, gadolinium can be given safely in a chelated form such as DTPA, that still retains much of its strong effect on relaxation times (relaxivity).

See also Dotarem®, Gadovist®, MultiHance®, Omniscan®, OptiMARK®, and Contrast Agents, the info sheet gives an overview and more in-dept information about different types of MRI contrast agents.

Magnetic relaxation in tissues can be enhanced using contrast agents. The most commonly used for MRI are the paramagnetic contrast agents, which have their strongest effect on the T1, by increasing T1 signal intensity in tissues where they have accumulated.
MRI collects signal from the water protons, but the presence of these contrast agents enhances the relaxation of water protons in their vicinity. Paramagnetic contrast agents contain magnetic centers that create magnetic fields approximately one thousand times stronger than those corresponding to water protons. These magnetic centers interact with water protons in exactly the same way as the neighboring protons, but with much stronger magnetic fields, and therefore, have a much greater impact on relaxation rates, particularly on T1. In MRI, contrast agents are routinely injected intravenously to help identify areas of hypervascularity, as in malignant tumors.

See also Contrast Agents, Gadovist®, MultiHance®, Omniscan®, OptiMARK®.

See also the related poll result: 'The development of contrast agents in MRI is'