Potential role of PFOB in diagnostic imaging

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are versatile compounds with a variety of applications in industry and in medicine. Their medical applications are in oxygen transport and diagnostic imaging. These agents are the only ultrasound contrast agents capable of altering tissue echogenicity. The bromine atom in perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) makes this agent the only PFC visible by computed tomography. PFOB contains many fluorine atoms and no hydrogen, so it can be used for fluorine MR imaging or as a signal void for hydrogen imaging. All of these applications are presently in clinical trials in the United States and Europe. PFOB is an exciting new contrast agent because of its low or insignificant toxicity, its universality across all imaging modalities, and its potential impact upon diagnostic applications.