Mangafodipir (sold under the brand name Teslascan as mangafodipir trisodium) is a contrast agent delivered intravenously to enhance contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver, and has potential to serve as an adjunct for various chemotherapeutic agents and during coronary intervention. It has two parts, a paramagnetic manganese(II) ion and the fodipir (dipyridoxyl diphosphate, DPDP) chelating agent. When freed from the organic ligand, the manganese shortens the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) in an MRI scan. Normal liver tissue absorbs the manganese more than abnormal or cancerous tissue, which makes the normal tissue appear brighter in MRIs. This enhanced contrast allows lesions to be more easily identified.
