Patent ID: 7745590

Claim:
A macromolecule contrast agent comprising a compound according to the following formula: wherein R and R′ are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 18 alkyls, substituted alkyls, aryls, polyethylene glycol, saccharides, amino acids, peptides, proteins, peptide conjugates and protein conjugates, and combinations of at least two of alkyl, aryl, and polyethylene glycol groups; wherein X and Y are independently selected from the group consisting of amide groups, ester groups, urea groups, thiourea groups, carbonate groups, carbamate groups, ether bonds and thioether bonds; wherein P is selected from the group consisting of water soluble polymer chains, dendrimers, polysaccharides, peptides, proteins, polymer-peptide conjugates and polymer-protein conjugates; wherein n is an integer between 2 and 10,000; and wherein L is selected from the group consisting of diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA), 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecanetetraacetate (DOTA), 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-1,4,7-triacetate (DO3A), ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclotridecanetetraacetic acid (TRITA), 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-1,4,8,11-tetraacetic acid (TETA), 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecanetetramethylacetate (DOTMA), 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-1,4,7-trimethylacetate (DO3MA), N,N′,N″,N′″-tetraphosphonatomethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (DOTP), 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetrakis (methylene methylphosphonic acid) (DOTMP), and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetrakis(methylene phenylphosphonic acid) (DOTPP).