title: Boron nitride nanotubes for boron neutron capture therapy as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T.
abstract: The applicability of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) containing Fe paramagnetic impurities as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was investigated. The measurement of longitudinal and transverse relaxation times of water protons in homogeneous aqueous dispersions of BNNTs wrapped with poly(L-lysine) at different concentrations allowed longitudinal (r(1)) and transverse (r(2)) relaxivities to be determined at 3T. The r(2) value was comparable to those of commercial superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, indicating that Fe-containing BNNTs have the potential to be used as T(2) contrast-enhancement agents in MRI at 3T.
authors.affiliation: CNR-National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy. luca.menichetti@ifc.cnr.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menichetti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Marchi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calucci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciofani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menciassi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Forte
mesh_terms: D016754:Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; D002460:Cell Line; D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media