title: Superparamagnetic iron oxide: clinical time-response study.
abstract: Superparamagnetic iron oxide (AMI 25) is a promising new contrast agent for imaging the reticuloendothelial-system. Iron oxide crystals possess a large magnetic susceptibility and enhance proton relaxation rates, especially transverse relaxation (T2). In order to guide the clinical utilization of this contrast media we analyzed 4 patients with malignant lesions of the liver before and after slow intravenous administration (20 mumol Fe/kg) of AMI 25. We performed two magnetic resonance (MR) sequences at different times using a 0.35 T magnet. MR signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the reticuloendothelial system (particularly the liver SNR) decrease promptly. The maximum decrease in SNR (67-72% for the liver, 46-65% for the spleen, 23-41% for the bone marrow) is observed 3 h after injection (P less than 0.01). However, except the peak of contrast enhancement in T1-weighted sequences of splenic tissue, the curve describes a plateau within 30 min and 6 h, allowing a delay between injection and imaging. T2-weighted sequences give a greater contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) by adding the spontaneous tumor contrast to the effect yielded by AMI 25. These results suggest that images must be acquired between 1 and 6 h after intravenous administration of superparamagnetic iron oxide.
authors.affiliation: Département d'Imagerie Médicale, Hôpital Pontchaillou, Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gandon
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Heautot
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guyader
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deugnier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carsin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000473:pathology*; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide