GOLD ENHANCED ANGIOGRAPHY

描述(由申请人提供)： 冠状动脉疾病是美国的主要死亡原因。迫切需要能够检测和区分脆弱斑块形成的测试，以便在灾难性事件发生之前对其进行治疗。血管造影术是评估狭窄的有用工具，应该开发非侵入性、可视化成分和形态的造影剂。 纳米探测器公司将纳米技术与这一医学应用相结合，并开发了将微小纳米颗粒用作X射线造影剂的用途。与目前的碘化合物相比，这些化合物具有许多优点：它们提供更长的成像时间，具有较低的渗透压以减少副作用，原子序数较高，因此可以减少X射线的剂量，并且可以比碘剂更集中。在小鼠身上的初步成像显示了0.2毫米的血管和许多内部器官的清晰可见，这是目前的造影剂所不可能的。 第一阶段将集中于新试剂和碘试剂的性能比较，量化它们的性质，并测量急性和亚急性毒性。这项工作将在第二阶段探索的另一个目标是开发能够区分高危动脉粥样硬化斑块的靶向造影剂。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Tests are urgently needed that can detect and distinguish vulnerable plaque formation so that they may be treated before a catastrophic event. Angiography is a useful tool for assessment of stenoses, and contrast agents that could be administered non-invasively and visualize composition as well as morphology should be developed. Nanoprobes, Inc. has combined nanotechnology with this medical application and developed the use of tiny nanoparticles as x-ray contrast agents. These have a number of advantages over the current iodine compounds: they provide longer imaging times, have lower osmolality to reduce side effects, are higher in atomic number so that the dose of x-rays can be reduced, and can be concentrated more than iodine agents. Preliminary imaging in mice revealed 0.2 mm vessels and visualization of many internal organs with great clarity not possible with the current contrast agents. Phase I will concentrate on and comparing the performance of the new agents with the iodine agents, quantifying their properties, and measuring acute and subacute toxicity. A further objective of this work to be explored in Phase II is the development of targeted contrast agents that would be able to discriminate high-risk atherosclerotic plaques.