The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 16, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 17, 1999
Toshihiro Akaike, Houya-shi, Tokyo 202-0004, JP;
Masahito Mikawa, Machida, JP;
Atsushi Maruyama, Yokohama, JP;
Naoto Miwa, Takatsuki, JP;
Other;
Abstract
This relates to a contrast medium containing a complex of a gadolinium (Gd) type contrast agent and a polymer. More particularly, the contrast medium wherein the polymer capable of phase transit in response to environmental changes, particularly, pH, light or temperature, to develop a different water solubility, and a method for imaging by the use of this contrast medium. By binding a polymer responsive to microenvironmental changes with a Gd type MRI contrast agent, on-off switching of MRI imaging capability is enabled, wherein imaging occurs only on the target sites. Consequently, a highly specific MRI contrast medium can be obtained, whereby a highly specific MRI diagnosis is made possible, wherein only the target sites such as a tumor and a particular site are imaged and otherwise at the site where imaging is not necessary.