![]() ![]() The researchers compared the contrast performance, retention, and renal clearance profile of the SAIO against Dotarem (a gadolinium-based agent) and iron oxide nanoparticles.įigure 3. The hybrid nature of the SAIOs gives them both excellent biocompatibility and imaging performance. ![]() This core is then coated with an iron oxide surface to give it paramagnetic properties at room temperature. The SAIO is a special nanoparticle that consist of a polysaccharide core made primarily with dextran cross-linked with other molecules. This allows it to circulate across blood vessels in the body. The particle is 5 nanometers in size, which is about 1,500 times smaller than the microvascular diameter. The researchers developed a nanoparticle-based MRI contrast agent, called SAIO (Supramolecular Amorphous-like Iron Oxide). Credit: Institute for Basic ScienceĪ collaborative research team led by Professor CHEON Jinwoo, the director of the Center for Nanomedicine (CNM), Institute for Basic Science (IBS) at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea and Professor CHOI Byoung Wook from Yonsei University College of Medicine developed a high-performance MRI contrast agent for 3D vascular mapping. (c) SAIO improves the resolution by up to 10-fold compared to the current contrast agent, enabling clear visualization of objects with a diameter as small as 100 microns. SAIO has a 2.5-fold higher MRI signal and a 5-fold longer duration of the contrast effect compared to the current contrast agent. (b) Comparison of performance between SAIO and current contrast agent. 3 nm carbohydrates are coated with iron, giving it a total size of 5 nm. SAIO contrast agent(a) SAIO consists of carbohydrates and iron, which gives it a high level of biocompatibility. There have been some attempts to use paramagnetic iron-based nanoparticles as contrasting agents, but their renal clearance profile must be improved to prevent undesirable accumulation in the liver and other organs.įigure 2. However, even then there are some health risks of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis for patients with poor kidney functions. Free gadolinium ions have high toxicity, and thus they must be administered in chelated forms. Commonly used products are the gadolinium-based contrast agents. Just as satellites or global positioning systems (GPS) give traffic congestion information, the MRI contrast agents can give accurate information of vascular conditions such as vascular blockage and stenosis. In MRI, contrast agents improve the visibility of the structures such as smaller blood vessels within the body. For this purpose, imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are widely used to identify the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels. ![]() As the disease often results in sudden death with few special prognostic symptoms, early diagnosis is very important. Heart attack and stroke are the first and second leading causes of death in developed countries, respectively. The new contrast agent offers a vast improvement over traditional gadolinium-based products. Scientists discovered a safer MRI contrast agent for high-resolution 3D microvascular imaging. Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle and the blockage or narrowing of such arteries causes myocardial infarction or angina, but visualizing these arteries was impossible due to the limited resolution of current MRI contrast agents. Rat coronary arteries (180 microns) which are 10 times thinner than human coronary arteries were successfully visualized. (c) For 3D reconstruction, multiple slices of MRI images of the rat heart were obtained after injection of SAIO. Resolution is low and microvessels are not visible. (b) 3D MRI brain vascular map using Dotarem (gadolinium-based contrast agent). In addition to clinically important brain vessels including anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, posterior cerebral artery, fine vessel structures as thin as ~ 100 microns in diameter can be clearly visualized. Various blood vessels in the rat brain can be visualized. High-resolution 3D MRI brain vascular map(a) High-resolution 3D MRI brain vascular map using SAIO. ![]()
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