Synthesis and characterization of PVP-coated large core iron oxide nanoparticles as an MRI contrast agent

• Published in: Nanotechnology Vol. 19; no. 16; p. 165101
• Main Authors: Lee, Ha-Young, Lee, Sang-Hoon, Xu, Chenjie, Xie, Jin, Lee, Jin-Hyung, Wu, Bing, Leen Koh, Ai, Wang, Xiaoying, Sinclair, Robert, Wang, Shan X, Nishimura, Dwight G, Biswal, Sandip, Sun, Shouheng, Cho, Sun Hang, Chen, Xiaoyuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England IOP Publishing 23.04.2008
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/16/165101

The purpose of this study was to synthesize biocompatible polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated iron oxide (PVP-IO) nanoparticles and to evaluate their efficacy as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. The PVP-IO nanoparticles were synthesized by a thermal decomposition method and characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and a superconducting quantum interface device (SQUID). The core size of the particles is about 8-10 nm and the overall size is around 20-30 nm. The measured r(2) (reciprocal of T(2) relaxation time) and r2∗ (reciprocal of T2∗ relaxation time) are 141.2 and 338.1 (s mM)(-1), respectively. The particles are highly soluble and stable in various buffers and in serum. The macrophage uptake of PVP-IO is comparable to that of Feridex as measured by a Prussian blue iron stain and phantom study. The signal intensity of a rabbit liver was effectively reduced after intravenous administration of PVP-IO. Therefore PVP-IO nanoparticles are potentially useful for T(2)-weighted MR imaging.