Development of non-iodinated, non ionic, water-soluble metal based compounds for clinical administration as radiographic contrast media.

Almost one million CT scans are performed on patients in Australia every year, growing at an annual rate of 5%. To allow visualisation of pathological problems large volumes of iodine based contrast imaging agents are injected into the patient. Unfortunately, 1% of the population is allergic to these (with moderate and sometimes severe cardiovascular, anaphylactic and pain reactions) and 1 in 20,000 people die after intravenous administration. This proposal will develop new non-toxic contrast agents based on stable bismuth and rare earth metal oxide/hydroxide cluster molecules, leading to greater patient comfort and safety, and improved diagnoses through significantly enhanced contrast.