Cyclen-based chelates can be used as contrast agents for multi-
modal imaging of tissue cells. The
cyclen-based chelates are preferably polyazamacrocyclic molecules formed from 1,4,7,10 tetraazacyclododecane (“
cyclen”) having varying chelating ions, phosphoester chains, and light harvesting moieties. By changing the chelating
ion, phosphoester
chain length and / or the light harvesting
moiety different imaging techniques, such as MRI, CT,
fluorescence and absorption, x-
ray and NIR, may be employed to image the tissue cells. Additionally, the
cyclen-based chelates may be conjugated to provide for site-specific delivery of the cyclen-based chelate to the desired tissue cells. The cyclen-based chelates may also be delivered to the tissue cells by attaching the cyclen-based to a polymeric
delivery vehicle. Although these cyclen-based chelates have a wide variety of application, the preferred use is for imaging of
cancer cells, such as
brain cancer, for improving resection of a cancerous tissue.