The utility of superparamagnetic contrast agents in MRI: theoretical consideration and applications in the cardiovascular system

• Published in: NMR in biomedicine Vol. 17; no. 7; pp. 465 - 477
• Main Authors: Bjørnerud, Atle, Johansson, Lars
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.11.2004
• Subjects: Animals; Cardiomyopathies - diagnosis; Cardiomyopathies - metabolism; Cardiomyopathies/diagnosis/metabolism; cardiovascular MRI; Computer Simulation; Contrast Media; contrast-enhanced MRI; Ferric Compounds - pharmacokinetics; Ferric Compounds/diagnostic use/pharmacokinetics; Heart Diseases - diagnosis; Heart Diseases - metabolism; Heart Diseases/diagnosis/metabolism; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; iron oxide particles; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Models, Cardiovascular; nanoparticles; Particle Size; SPIO; USPIO; Vascular Diseases - diagnosis; Vascular Diseases - metabolism; Vascular Diseases/diagnosis/metabolism; Cardiovascular; Models
• ISSN: 0952-3480; 1099-1492
• DOI: 10.1002/nbm.904

This review will discuss the in vivo physical chemical relaxation properties of superparamagnetic iron oxide particles. Various parameters such as size, magnetization, compartmentalization and water exchange effects and how these alter the behavior of the iron oxide particles in an in vitro vs an in vivo situation with special reference to the cardiovascular system will be exemplified. Furthermore, applications using iron oxide particles for vascular, perfusion and viability imaging as well as assessment of the inflammatory status of a given tissue will be discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.