New generation of monomer-stabilized very small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (VSOP) as contrast medium for MR angiography: preclinical results in rats and rabbits.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the signal enhancement characteristics of very small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (VSOP)-C63, a new monomer-coated, iron oxide-based magnetic resonance (MR) blood pool contrast medium with a very small particle size and optimized physical properties. Equilibrium MR angiography (MRA) of rats (thoracic and abdominal vessels) was performed at 1.5 T with a three-dimensional gradient-recalled echo (3D GRE) technique (TR/TE 6.6/2.3 msec, flip angle 25 degrees ) before and after (every 3-5 minutes up to 50 minutes) i.v. injection of VSOP-C63 [dosages: 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 micromol Fe/kg; diameter: 8 nm; relaxivities at 0.47 T: R1 = 30 l/(mmol * s); R2 = 39 l/(mmol * s)]. First-pass MRA images (3D-GRE, TR/TE 4.5/1.7 msec, flip angle 25 degrees ) were obtained with 45 micromol Fe/kg VSOP-C63 in comparison with 0.2 mmol Gd/kg of gadolinium diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd DTPA; before and every 5 seconds p.i.). MRA (3D GRE, TR/TE 4.5/1.7 msec, flip angle 25 degrees) of coronary vessels in rabbits was performed after i.v. injection of 45 micromol Fe/kg of VSOP-C63. In rats maximal S/N ratio in thoracic and abdominal arteries directly after i.v. injection of VSOP-C63 was 25 +/- 1, 43 +/- 2, 49 +/- 4, 57 +/- 3, 64 +/- 3, and 63 +/- 3 for the different dosages. Blood half-life was dose dependent (15 +/- 2, 20 +/- 3, 29 +/- 6, 37 +/- 5, 61 +/- 16, and 86 +/- 21 minutes). At a dose of 30 micromol Fe/kg even small intrarenal arteries were sharply delineated. First-pass MRA showed no significant difference in the S/N ratio between Gd-DTPA (71.5 +/- 11.5) and VSOP-C63 (65.1 +/- 18. 3). The proximal segments of the coronary arteries in rabbits were clearly depicted at a dose of 45 micromol Fe/kg. The monomer-coated, iron oxide-based contrast medium VSOP-C63 exhibits favorable properties as a blood pool agent for both equilibrium and first-pass MRA. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;12:905-911.
Taupitz
M
M
Department of Radiology, Charité, Medizinische Fakultät, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10098 Berlin, Germany.
Schnorr
J
J
Abramjuk
C
C
Wagner
S
S
Pilgrimm
H
H
Hünigen
H
H
Hamm
B
B
D000818:Animals; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003911:Dextrans; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007501:Iron; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats
D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; C097921:ferumoxtran-10; D007501:Iron; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide