Fig. 1

Experimental set-up. The vials containing contrast agents gadoterate (left column), gadobenate (middle column), and gadoxetate (right column) in saline (top row), blood (middle row), and bile (lower row) were placed in a sample holder and submerged in water at room temperature. The samples were then imaged using different sequences (here: fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequence) (a). The concentration of the contrast agents ranged from 0.25 to 25 mM, and each sample contained a control vial on the lower right with saline instead of the contrast agent (b)