Novel contrast agents for spectral CT imaging
The possibility to quantitatively resolve multiple contrast agents within a single imaging step is considered a key feature of spectral photon-counting tomography. Such contrast agents may in the future provide comprehensive information about cardio-vascular mechanisms, but also e.g. densities of certain receptors which are associated with cancer or other diseases.
We are currently assessing a variety of candidates for such (functionizable) novel contrast agents. For this we follow a translational approach, where we employ highly versatile laboratory systems to analyze the behavior of each contrast agent candidate, prior to assessment by clinical scanners.