Liver Saturation via Oil-in-Water Emulsion for MRI Contrast
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic agents for inflammatory conditions, particularly those using gadolinium complexes and radioactive markers, suffer from severe side effects, high dosages, and poor contrast in imaging, making it difficult to differentiate between healthy and inflamed tissue, especially in chronic inflammatory diseases.
Innovation Solution
A phagocytosable-component-containing aqueous formulation, such as an oil-in-water emulsion, is administered prior to a fluorinated contrast agent to saturate the liver, reducing accumulation in non-target areas and enhancing contrast in inflammatory tissue imaging, using biocompatible and non-metabolized fluorinated compounds like semifluorinated alkanes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If gadolinium complexes are administered for diagnostic imaging, then imaging capability is achieved, but serious side effects occur including liver damage and tumor development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful gadolinium component from the diagnostic imaging system, replacing it with fluorinated contrast agents that provide equivalent imaging capability without the severe side effects. This extraction principle directly resolves the contradiction by eliminating the harmful factor while preserving the measurement function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs fluorinated contrast agents that are biocompatible and rapidly cleared from the body, replacing the persistent harmful gadolinium complexes. These alternative agents achieve the imaging function with minimal long-term harm, effectively treating the contrast agent as a temporary, safe consumable rather than a persistent harmful substance.
2Measurement precision
If high dosage of fluorinated contrast agent is administered, then satisfactory imaging of inflamed tissue is achieved, but the dosage required is rather high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by administering an oil-in-water emulsion before the fluorinated contrast agent. This pre-treatment saturates the liver's uptake capacity, preventing excessive accumulation in non-target areas and redirecting more contrast agent to the inflamed tissue, thereby achieving high contrast imaging with lower overall dosage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances local quality by concentrating the fluorinated contrast agent specifically in inflamed tissue through the preliminary emulsion treatment. This creates a localized high-concentration effect at the target site while maintaining lower systemic dosage, resolving the contradiction between local imaging quality and overall quantity administered.
3Measurement precision
If contrast agent accumulates in liver and spleen, then imaging of these organs is possible, but poor contrast is achieved in inflamed tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-administering the oil-in-water emulsion to saturate liver macrophages (Kupffer cells). This preliminary saturation prevents subsequent excessive uptake of the fluorinated contrast agent by the liver, ensuring more agent remains available in the bloodstream to accumulate in inflamed tissue, thereby improving target tissue availability and contrast.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using the emulsion to counteract and block the liver's natural uptake mechanism before the contrast agent is administered. This preemptive blocking prevents the harmful accumulation in non-target organs and preserves the contrast agent for its intended target, the inflamed tissue.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for high-contrast imaging with lower dosages, reducing side effects and improving diagnostic accuracy by increasing the availability of contrast agents in inflamed tissues, thereby enhancing the quality of MRI images.
Implementation Method 1
the contrast agent also accumulates in liver and spleen due to being phagocytized by Kupffer cells which are also part of the immune system
Implementation Method 2
contrast agents as described in the present application are primarily phagocytized by cells associated with the immune system, such as monocytes and macrophages
Implementation Method 3
diagnostic detection via magnetic resonance imaging
Data Source
Figure 1A~2C
Figure 3~4B
Figure 5A~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to an aqueous formulation for use in diagnostic detection wherein the aqueous formulation is administered prior to the administration of a fluorinated contrast agent or composition comprising a fluorinated contrast agent as well as to a method of administration. The invention further relates to the use of said aqueous formulation for the diagnostic detection of inflammatory pathological conditions using MR imaging. In addition the invention relates to a kit as well as a diagnostic kit suitable for use in diagnostic detection.