Nuclear magnetic resonance contrast enhancement study of the gastrointestinal tract of rats and a human volunteer using nontoxic oral iron solutions.

Abstract

Two dilute oral Fe solutions, made from commonly available nonprescription dietary supplements, enhanced the gastrointestinal tract in NMR imaging of live rats and 1 human volunteer. The paramagnetic and pharmacologic properties of ferric ammonium citrate were more favorable than those of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate. The paramagnetic Fe solutions shorten T1 and T2 relaxation times of water protons in the contrast media-field gastrointestinal tract, producing easily observable change in NMR intensity. Because these Fe solutions are available commercially and are known to be well tolerated, the clinical use of Fe-containing NMR contrast agents for the gastrointestinal tract is feasible.