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Critical Reviews™ in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems

ISSN for PRINT: 0743-4863

Institutional price:	$1014.00
Issues per year:	6

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2003, Volume20

106 pages

DOI: 10.1615/CritRevTherDrugCarrierSyst.v20.i6

Issue price - $161.00

Diagnostic Microspheres: An Overview

V. R. Sinha
University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

V. Goyal
University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

J. R. Bhinge
University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh; and Center with Potential for Excellence in Biomedical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

B. R. Mittal
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

A. Trehan
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

ABSTRACT

Diagnostic methods have become increasingly complex and frequently involve the use of agents that must meet the same approval criteria as drugs. The search for diagnostic contrast agents has spread from X-ray to other imaging modalities, especially to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. A wide variety of methods have been used to develop microencapsulated agents, from liposomal entrapment to use of biodegradable polymers. Various scientific and technological advancements have been made in the research and development of diagnostic microspheres. Diagnostic microspheres can be used to understand the human body functions in both healthy and sick people. For example, they allow the detection of malignancies vs. benign tissue changes. Diagnostic microspheres give useful clinical information for various diseases, are very stable, and have proven efficacy in the quantitative measurement of blood flow to an organ. This review discusses various aspects of diagnostic microspheres, such as the choice of contrast agents and radioactive molecules, and their applications in blood flow measurements and organ imaging.