Blood_Pool_Agents
Blood pool agents (BPAs) are a class of magnetic resonance angiography contrast agents.[1][2] Blood pool agents (also known as intravascular contrast agents) are differentiated from other contrast agents due to their high molecular weight and higher relaxivities.[3] Their large size prevents diffusion through the vascular epithelium and leakage into the interstitial space, and because of this they stay in the vascular system for a longer time period. Most contrast agents, leave the vascular system within a few minutes, however blood pool agents remain in the circulation for up to an hour, extending the window available for imaging. Longer image acquisition times allow better signal-to-noise ratio and improved image resolution.