Effect of nanoparticle size and magnetic field strength on the displacement signal in magnetomotive ultrasound imaging

• Magnetomotive ultrasound imaging is an emerging technique where superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can be used as an ultrasound contrast agent. A time-varying external magnetic field acts to move tissue embedded particles, and ultrasound is used to detect the resulting tissue movement. In this experimental phantom study we observed a variation in the magnetomotive response in respect to physical size of the embedded superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Given the same Fe concentration a weaker response, by a factor of 2, was detected with the larger nanoparticles. However, approximately seven times larger response remains, given the volume ratio between particles, implying a seven times larger response per binding event. We hypothesize that this can have bearing in molecular imaging.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Radiologi och bildbehandling (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging (hsv//eng)

Keyword

contrast agents

iron oxide

molecular imaging

nanoparticles

superparamagnetic

Publication and Content Type

kon (subject category)

ref (subject category)