Patent ID: 8357350

Claim:
A method of annulus fibrosus imaging comprising: administering to a subject an agent wherein the agent comprises a compound of Formula I, a 13 C or 2 H enriched compound of Formula I, an 19 F-labeled derivative of Formula I, a metal-DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetra-azacyclododecane-N, N′, N″, N′″-tetraacetic acid) complex of Formula I, or a radioisotope derivative of Formula 1 wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, fluroroalkyl, or perfluroalkyl, n is an integer from two to four, and X is a counter ion forming a salt; and selectively imaging annulus fibrosus by detecting the agent present in annulus fibrosus tissue.