Gadolinium meets medicinal chemistry: MRI contrast agent development.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents are utilized adjunctively to enhance the contrast between normal and abnormal structures on MRI scans. Along with the rapid evolution of the field has come a new appreciation for the medicinal chemistry of this unique class of metallopharmaceuticals. The efficacy of MRI agents is a complex function of chemical, biophysical, and pharmacological properties, which must be married in a package of exquisite safety. This report illustrates the wide range of medicinal chemistry relevant to existing agents that are either approved or in clinical development, as well as concepts, which may result in exciting new pharmaceuticals in the future.