Polypropyleneimines (PPIs) functionalized by glycerol-based entities are prepared and characterized by diffusion-ordered spectroscopy NMR. Showing low cytotoxicity against MRC5 fibroblasts, their encapsulation capacities of gadolinium complexes was evaluated. T(1) measurements were performed to determine the relaxivity of the encapsulated gadopentetate dimeglumine (GdBOPTA) in dendrimers of fourth and fifth generation (GD-PPI-4 and GD-PPI-5). Comparison of the GdBOPTA relaxivity and the relaxivity of GdBOPTA-loaded dendrimers showed a slight increase of the gadolinium chelate relaxivity.
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