A New Potential Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Iron Oxide-4A Nanocomposite

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents have an important role to differentiate healthy and diseased tissues. Access and design new contrast agents for the optimal use of MRI are necessary. This study aims to evaluate iron oxide-4A nanocomposite ability to act as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Iron oxide-4A nanocomposite (F4A) was synthesized. MTT assay was used to consider the nanocomposite safety for cell culture. The T1 and T2 relaxation times were measured using a 1.5 Tesla clinical MRI scanner. Then the corresponding relaxivities were determined.

RESULTS

The average particle diameter of the nanocomposite was 50 to 100 nm based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) image. A linear relationship between relaxation rates and the Fe concentration of the nanocomposite was obtained. The T1 and T2 relaxivities of the nanocomposite were calculated 5.413 and 1092.1 mM-1.s-1, respectively which led to the T2/T1 relaxivity ratio of 201.75.

CONCLUSION

The high T2/T1 relaxivity ratio of the iron oxide-4A nanocomposite confirms it's potential to act as a T2 contrast agent.

Dosimetry of Critical Organs in Maxillofacial Imaging with Cone-beam Computed Tomography

BACKGROUND

While the benefits of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) are well known in maxillofacial imaging, the use of this modality is not risk-free.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure doses received by patients during maxillofacial imaging with CBCT.

METHODS

Entrance surface dose (ESD) was measured by using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) attached to the eyes lids, parotid glands and thyroid of 64 patients in two imaging centers (A and B). Phantom dosimetry was performed by a cylindrical poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) head-size phantom and an ionization chamber for different exposure parameters. NewTom VGi and Planmeca Promax 3D CBCT scanners were used at centers A and B, respectively.

RESULTS

The mean ESD of the eyes, parotid glands and thyroid were 2.57, 2.33 and 0.28 mGy in center A, 0.35, 2.11 and 0.37 mGy in center B, respectively. ESD of the eyes revealed a significant difference in two centers; in center B, it was 86.4% lower than center A. In the phantom dosimetry, the measured doses of NewTom VGi were 2.63 and 2.08 mGy, respectively by changing field of view (FOV) size from 8×8 cm² (height × diameter) to 6×6 cm². For Planmeca Promax 3D, it ranged from 0.98 to 3.24 mGy depending on exposure parameters.

CONCLUSION

There is a wide range of radiation doses dependent on the units, patients and selected scan parameters. Inappropriate selection of exposure settings, especially FOV size, can seriously increase patient dose.

Linde Type A and nano magnetite/NaA zeolites: cytotoxicity and doxorubicin loading efficiency

Different cation-exchanged (K+, Na+ & Ca2+) nano-zeolites withi magnetite nanocomposites were synthesized and their suitability for drug loading was studied. Nanocomposites with different Fe3O4 contents were synthesized by adding magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles to the zeolite crystallization solution. The zeolite and its nanocomposites had high surface areas and enough adsorption capacity to load and release sufficient amounts of the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin. None or the zeolites or nanocomposites showed toxicity to SKBr3 or MCF-7 cancer cells. However, DOX@zeolite inhibits cell growth more than the non-encapsulated drug. Thus zeolites and their magnetite nanocomposites show potential as biocompatible medical devices.

Brain Volume Estimation Enhancement by Morphological Image Processing Tools

BACKGROUND

Volume estimation of brain is important for many neurological applications. It is necessary in measuring brain growth and changes in brain in normal/abnormal patients. Thus, accurate brain volume measurement is very important. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the method of choice for volume quantification due to excellent levels of image resolution and between-tissue contrast. Stereology method is a good method for estimating volume but it requires to segment enough MRI slices and have a good resolution. In this study, it is desired to enhance stereology method for volume estimation of brain using less MRI slices with less resolution.

METHODS

In this study, a program for calculating volume using stereology method has been introduced. After morphologic method, dilation was applied and the stereology method enhanced. For the evaluation of this method, we used T1-wighted MR images from digital phantom in BrainWeb which had ground truth.

RESULTS

The volume of 20 normal brain extracted from BrainWeb, was calculated. The volumes of white matter, gray matter and cerebrospinal fluid with given dimension were estimated correctly. Volume calculation from Stereology method in different cases was made. In three cases, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was measured. Case I with T=5, d=5, Case II with T=10, D=10 and Case III with T=20, d=20 (T=slice thickness, d=resolution as stereology parameters). By comparing these results of two methods, it is obvious that RMSE values for our proposed method are smaller than Stereology method.

CONCLUSION

Using morphological operation, dilation allows to enhance the estimation volume method, Stereology. In the case with less MRI slices and less test points, this method works much better compared to Stereology method.

Detection sensitivity of MRI using ultra-small super paramagnetic iron oxide nano-particles (USPIO) in biological tissues

Today, by injecting iron oxide based nanoparticles (USPIO) as MRI contrast agents, it is possible to study lymphatic system and some specific tumors and their metastasis. The type of surface coating, and coating characteristics of the nanoparticles are important factors for the biological properties of nanoparticles and their destination target. On the other hand, these properties contribute to different signal intensities. This may confine application of all types of USPIO based contrast agents in routine daily experiments. In this study, the ability of detecting these particles having various sizes and coating properties was evaluated for MRI applications. Signal intensity changes after administration of these particles into tissues have been studied and their detection sensitivity was evaluated using a liver phantom and animal model (rat). IO based nanoparticles of various sizes (8-30 nm) functionalized and coated with various surface polymers such as dextran and starch, amine and hydroxide groups, and bear IO particles were used to investigate the signal changes. The optimized pulse sequences for proper demonstration of lymph nodes using these contrast agents were found (T2* FSPGR protocol with fat suppressions). A detection sensitivity of 98% was achieved in most experiments during applying a proper MR protocol. However, the type of surface coating, and coating characteristics such as thickness were shown to be essential factors for MRI signal intensity in both T1 and T2 protocols.