Gadoxetic acid is a gadolinium-based contrast agent used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to help characterize lesions in the liver. Gadoxetate disodium is an amphipathic compound in which gadoxetate is hydrophillic and its moiety, the ethoxybenyzl group, is lipophillic. Consequently, gadoxetate disodium has a biphasic mode of action in which it first distributes into the extracellular space after bolus injection and then hepatocytes selectively takes up the drug. When gadoxetate disodium is placed in an external magnetic field, a large magnetic moment is produced. As a result, a magnetic field is induced around the tissue. The water protons in the vicinity are disrupted such that the change the proton density and spin characteristics are detected and visualized by a device.

Gadoxetic acid Metabolism References