Imaging Type

 Base Contrast Material

Specific Types

Current Status

Active Compound (trade name) of Some Clinically Approved Agents

References
MRI Gadolinium Chelates and Salts   Clinical use gadofosveset trisodium (ABLAVAR); gadoxetate disodium (EOVIST); gadobutrol (Gadavist); gadopentetate dimeglumine (MAGNEVIST®); gadobenate dimeglumine (MultiHance); gadodiamide (OMNISCAN); gadoversetamide (OptiMARKTM); gadoteridol (ProHance) [60, 60-64]
Gadolinium Nanostructures Polymers, liposomes, inorganic nanoparticles Pre-clinical - [63, 65-68, 68, 69]
Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles Clinical use and some clinical trials ferumoxsil (GastroMARK®, Lumirem®); ferrixan (Resovist®, Cliavist™); ferumoxide (Feridex®, Endorem™); [23, 44, 59, 70-74]
CT Conventional Iodine High-osmolarity Clinical use diatrizoate anion (Renografin); diatrizoate anion (Hypaque); iothalamate anion (Conray) [83]
Nonionic monomers Clinical use iohexol (Omnipaque); iopamidol (Isovue); ioversol (Optiray); iopromide (Ultravist)
Ionic dimers Clinical use ioxaglate (Hexabrix)
Nonionic dimers Clinical use  iotrol and iodixanol (Visipaque)
Bismuth sulphide (Bi2S3) nanoparticles - Pre-clinical - [75]
Iodinated nanostructure Polymeric carriers, liposomal carriers, inorganic nanostructures Pre-clinical - [78-90]
Gold nanoparticles   Clinical trials - [76, 77]
PET/SPECT Radiopharmaceuticals: Labeled biomolecules or elemental emitters Labelled biomolecule Clinical use and pre-clinical FLUDEOXYGLUCOSE F-18; AdreView (Iobenguane I 123 Injection); DaTscan™  Ioflupane I 123 Injection; F-18; I-123; O-15; N-13; C-11 L-methionine; [120]
  Nanostructures with radionuclides   Pre-clinical   [90, 92, 93]
Fluorescence/Optical Imaging Fluorescent silica particles   Pre-clinical   [102, 104-106]
Quantum dots   Pre-clinical   [14, 95, 97-101]
Polymer encapsulated fluorophores   Pre-clinical   [102, 103]
Table 1: Summary of the various types of contrast media in clinical use or pre-clinical development for various imaging techniques.