High Prevalence of Cancer to Boost Demand for Contrast Media/Contrast Agent
A contrast agent (also called a contrast medium) is an
electrically charged material used in medical imaging to enhance the contrast
of medical vessels or other tissues in the body. Contrast media/contrast agent either
absorbs or changes ultrasound or electromagnetism, which is fundamentally
different from radiopharms, which themselves emit electromagnetic radiation.
This difference enables contrast agents to be applied to various body tissues
with much higher strengths than their non-comp contrast counterparts.
The most common contrast media/contrast agent used in medical
imaging are CT contrast agents and MRI contrast agents. However, due to their
non-magnetic nature, these medical imaging products are not able to be used on
organ tissues, such as kidneys, hearts and lungs. Some manufacturers have now
started manufacturing non-magnetic, biologically engineered CT
and MRI contrast agents called mri-notherapy (mammography, radiofrequency
ablation, and ultrasound contrast agents).
High prevalence of cancer is expected to boost demand for contrast
media. In the U.S., non-magnetic, biologically engineered CT and MRI contrast
agents are now being used more frequently to treat patients with benign tumors
of all types. Mri-notherapy is used for benign cancers of the breast (breast
cancer), abdomen (belly fat), neck, head, joint (arthritis) and spine. Patients
with melanoma, anemia, inoperable basilar artery disease, and multiple myeloma
are also often treated with mri-notherapy. The therapy has a high success rate
for benign tumors and very low incidence of mortality, espeacially in patients
undergoing surgery. Moreover, recently, in November 2020, the U.S. FDA approved
GE Healthcare’s macrocyclic gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent, Clariscan
(gadoterate meglumine), in pre-filled syringes.
For targeted nanoparticles, CT imaging modalities such as
ultrasound and laser ablation have been used. Ultrasound is useful in early
detection of cancerous cells and its use in conjunction with laser ablation is
very effective in removing tumors. Both ultrasound and laser ablation have good
safety records. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy using medication to kill malignant
cells is not a traditional contrast agent and therefore has not been reported
to cause adverse side effects.
Contrast agent delivery systems have evolved over the years to deliver
medications, intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously. One of the
oldest and most common systems is computed tomography (CT) imaging devices. CT
images are highly detailed and able to show much detail of internal structures
such as organs and tissue. Other diagnostic imaging devices include magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), radionuclide imaging (RMI), and ultrasound or laser
ablation systems. The use of contrast agents in medical imaging has increased
greatly in clinical practice over the past few decades because contrast agents
increase contrast sensitivity and reduce the need for surgery.
Ultrasound imaging, in contrast to radiology, requires no contrast
agent except for X-rays. Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to create images
from within cavities. This type of medical imaging uses sound waves rather than
radiation to produce images; therefore, ultrasound imaging is less harmful than
radiology imaging. This is because ultrasound imaging is non-invasive,
painless, and can be used in a wide range of situations.
However, there are times when it is necessary to use contrast
agents such as intravenous or oral contrast agents because imaging techniques
cannot reveal the exact image with just ultrasound alone. For instance, CT
scans can reveal internal bleeding or the presence of tumors. If these agents
were to be ingested by the patient, it would change the chemical composition of
their blood, causing a serious side effect. This is why it is important to use
a good, reliable contrast agent such as cteprulose butyric acid (CTFA), which
can be used to neutralize any potentially dangerous metals in the patient's
body. It is also important that the patients who will undergo CT scanning and
other imaging procedures know what the alternatives are for using contrast
agents during the procedure.
While it is true that contrast agents are useful for many medical
imaging methods, it is also true that using them in all cases is not
necessarily safe. Patients who undergo anesthesia and are given intravenous fluids
that contain gold particles are most at risk of contracting gastrointestinal
side effects. These are known as "sensitivity" and have the potential
to cause vomiting, diarrhea and cramping. Gold particles are also known to
cause abnormalities in the kidneys, and in rare cases can cause
life-threatening heart attacks. For these reasons, CTFA is usually the
preferred contrast agent in patients undergoing any sort of intravenous fluid
therapy or imaging methods.
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