Biomedical F MRI Using Perfluorocarbons.

Background-free fluorine (F) MR imaging exhibits an excellent degree of specificity, and facilitates among others the in vivo visualization of inflammatory processes. MergingF MR images with morphologically matchingH MR images enables the exact anatomic localization of the observedF signal. Biochemically inert nanoemulsions of perfluorocarbons, which are known to be taken up by the macrophage/monocyte system, are widely used as contrast agents for preclinical applications. Herein, the most common protocols are described to obtain high-resolution and artifact-freeF MR images even for compounds with complexF MR spectra. In addition, we report on the utilization of perfluorocarbons with individual spectral identities and targeting approaches to specifically visualize thrombi byF MRI.