title: Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance for imaging cardiac inflammation. A minireview.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Advances in nanotechnology have lead to the development of a novel contrast media for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPIO). SPIO nanoparticles are used to image inflammation on the cellular level in various settings. This review covers the physicochemical characteristics of SPIO particles as well as relevant animal and clinical studies and discusses the potential of SPIO particles to image cardiac inflammation including cardiac graft rejection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the scientific biomedical databases Medline/PubMed, BioMedCentral, Google Scholar, Ovid and, ProQuest from to 2000 to 2013 for publications relevant to the topic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPIO nanoparticles due to their unique properties could become a useful tool in imaging cardiac inflammation. However, the task is to find a suitable particle size and coating with corresponding pharmacokinetics, establish the right dose and MRI scan timing for individual applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, Czech Republic.|ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Podrouzkova
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging Methods, ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno.|ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Feitova
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, Czech Republic.|ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Panovsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, Czech Republic.|ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno.
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meluzin
authors.affiliation: ICRC, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orban
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003911:Dextrans / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; C065507:ferumoxides
keywords: inflammation; magnetic resonance imaging; superparamagnetic iron oxide