Contrast Media

Duke scientists have discovered a new class of inexpensive and long-lived molecular tags that enhance MRI signals by 10,000-fold. To activate the tags, the researchers mix them with a newly developed catalyst (center) and a special form of hydrogen (gray), converting them into long-lived magnetic resonance 'lightbulbs' that might be used to track disease metabolism in real time. Image courtesy of Thomas Theis, Duke University.

An ultrasound-stimulated microbubble burrows through a fibrin clot (green) allowing penetration of the surrounding fluid into the clot (yellow). Image courtesy of Christopher Acconci and David Goertz, University of Toronto.

Molecular imaging of the GRPR biomarker on mice xenografted with PC3 and H441 cells by T1-weighted spin echo MR imaging and NIR imaging.