Vasovist: First Imaging Agent to Enhance Scans of Blood Flow, FDA-Approved

Filed in archive FDA Approvals on December 27, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 6980088

Vasovist Injection (gadofosveset trisodium) - the first contrast imaging agent for use in patients undergoing magnetic resonance angiography, or MRA - has been approved by the US FDA. MRA isa minimally invasive test for examining blood vessels.

Although MRA can be performed without the use of a contrast imaging agent, Vasovist administration provides a clearer image in patients who are suspected of having blockages or other problems with the blood vessels in their abdomen or limbs. The MRA is performed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which relies on magnetic fields to create highly detailed images of the inside the body.

Vasovist is a product of Epix Pharmaceuticals Inc.

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