Polymers for Improved Delivery of Iodinated Contrast Agents

Abstract

X-ray computed tomography (CT), as one of the most widely used noninvasive imaging modalities, can provide three-dimensional anatomic details with high resolution, which plays a key role in disease diagnosis and treatment assessment. However, although they are the most prevalent and FDA-approved contrast agents, iodinated water-soluble molecules still face some challenges in clinical applications, such as fast clearance, serious adverse effects, nonspecific distribution, and low sensitivity. Because of their high biocompatibility, tunable designability, controllable biodegradation, facile synthesis, and modification capability, the polymers have demonstrated great potential for efficient delivery of iodinated contrast agents (ICAs). Herein, we comprehensively summarized the applications of multifunctional polymeric materials for ICA delivery in terms of increasing circulation time, decreasing nephrotoxicity, and improving the specificity and sensitivity of ICAs for CT imaging. We mainly focused on various iodinated polymers from the aspects of preparation, functionalization, and application in medical diagnosis. Future perspectives for achieving better imaging and clinical translation are also discussed to motivate new technologies and solutions.

Emerging Nanoagents for Medical X-ray Imaging

“…Currently, several functional nanoagents, such as iodinated compounds (e.g., micellar nanoemulsion, polymeric, liposomal) and metallic nanoparticles (e.g., gold (Au), bismuth (Bi), lanthanide series (Ln), tantalum (Ta), silver (Ag), iron (Fe)), have been developed as contrast agents with long blood circulation times and extra hyperthermia therapy properties (Figure ). − …”

Targeted Nanotheranostics: Integration of Preclinical MRI and CT in the Molecular Imaging and Therapy of Advanced Diseases

“…These ionic contrast agents are commonly employed in the clinic. However, they have a number of limitations over non-ionic contrast media 120 . The disadvantages of ionic contrast agents include interactions with biological elements like peptides and cell membranes, high inherent osmolality in their aqueous formulations, which could cause renal damage, as well as other physiological issues such as vasodilation, bradycardia, and pulmonary hypertension.…”

Amino Acid‐Derived Smart and Functional Polymers for Biomedical Applications: Current Status and Future Perspectives

“…In order to improve the contrast between various tissues in CT scans, these polymers can be changed to incorporate components with high X-ray attenuation qualities. [208,211,212] Accurate imaging and diagnosis are made possible by the smart polymers' improved biocompatibility and stability of the contrast agents.…”