Ratiometric 19F MR-based Method for Quantification of Ca2+ Using Responsive Paramagnetic Probes

We present a method for assessing extracellular calcium concentration using 19F chemical shift imaging. Specifically, a custom made calcium-responsive and lanthanide-based 19F MRI probe that undergoes a strong and highly specific modulation of its signal upon the coordination of calcium ions was developed and its performance is presented.