title: Monte Carlo simulation and theory of proton NMR transverse relaxation induced by aggregation of magnetic particles used as MRI contrast agents.
abstract: Superparamagnetic particles are widely used in MRI as R2 contrast agents. In this last decade, different studies have focused on aggregation of superparamagnetic particles for important applications such as multimodal agents. A complete study--via simulations--of the influence of aggregation on the MR efficiency of these particles at high magnetic field is presented here. First, an empirical expression is proposed for R2 in the presence of uniformly distributed nanoparticles, taking into account two regimes at once (motional averaging and slow motion regimes). Three cluster shapes are simulated: Sphere, shell and line. An analytical model is proposed to understand water transverse relaxation induced by spherical and shell aggregates. Simulations lead to the conclusion that, in the motional averaging regime, the most efficient aggregate contrast agent is the densest sphere or shell.
authors.affiliation: University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, 7000 Mons, Belgium. quoc_lam.vuong@umons.ac.be
authors.forename: Quoc Lam
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Vuong
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gossuin
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D004058:Diffusion; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010316:Particle Size; D011522:Protons
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011522:Protons