Nitroxide radicals as contrast substances for magnetic resonance imaging diagnostics. Part 1

In last ten years, there is a significant progress in the selective and localized detection of redox-active compounds in the cells, tissues, and intact organisms. This progress is due to the development of new synthetic and genetically encoded redox-sensitive contrast substances, as well as due to the improvement of the techniques for their imaging: fluorescent, chemiluminescent, magnetic resonance, nuclear, ultrasonic. One of the most attractive redox-sensitive contrast substances are cyclic (stable) nitroxide radicals. They can be visualized and analyzed in vitro and in vivo by a variety of magnetic resonance techniques - electron-paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Overhauser-enhanced MRI (OMRI). This review describes the merits and demerits of the nitroxide-enhanced EPR and MRI and the perspectives for their application in biomedical studies and clinical practice. The article is intended for a wide range of readers - from students to specialists in the field. Key words: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Electron-Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). Overhauser-Enhanced MRI (O MRI). Nitroxide