Lantheus Medical Imaging Inc. said Monday it inked a pair of three-year deals for its MRI and ultrasound contrast agents with the purchasing arm of Premier healthcare alliance, a group purchasing organization.

Lantheus said its single-source supplier agreement for Definity, an ultrasound contrast agent used to make part of the heart more visible on echocardiograms, runs from Dec. 1, 2011 through Nov. 30, 2014. The supplier contract for Ablavar, an MRI contrast agent used to check up on blocked iliac arteries, begins Jan. 1, 2012 and lasts through Dec. 31, 2014.

N. Billerica, Mass-based Lantheus said the contracts came after a competitive bidding process, and that the agreements for the two products apply to more than 2,500 Premier-affiliated hospitals.

"These products are innovative diagnostic tools that assist clinicians in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and help answer critical clinical questions to make improved patient management decisions," Don Kiepert, president and CEO of Lantheus said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with Premier and providing member physicians with access to these important imaging agents."