April M. Chow1,2, Kannie W.Y. Chan1,2,
Ed X. Wu1,2
1Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal
Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China; 2Department
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong,
Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
Gas-filled
microbubbles have been shown as an MR susceptibility contrast agent; however,
microbubble susceptibility effect is relatively weak when compared with other
contrast agents. Studies have indicated that, by embedding magnetic
nanoparticles, the magnetic susceptibility of the shell can be increased,
thus enhancing the microbubble susceptibility effect. In this study, we
further demonstrated the synergistic effect of gas core with iron oxide
nanoparticles in achieving the overall microbubble susceptibility effect and
characterized in vivo enhancements
of microbubble susceptibility effects by entrapping iron oxide nanoparticles
at 7 T, leading to the practical use of microbubbles as an intravascular MRI
contrast agent.