Vt Herynek1,2, Zuzana Berkov3,
Daniel Hork4, Michal Babic4, Daniel Jirk1,2,
Frantiek Saudek3, Milan Hjek1
1MR-Unit, Department of Radiodiagnostic
and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental
Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic; 2Center for Cell Therapy and
Tissue Repair, Second Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech
Republic; 3Pancreatic Islet Laboratory, Diabetology Clinic,
Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic; 4Institute
of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Republic
Visualization
of transplanted islets using MRI requires labeling of islets by a suitable
contrast agent. We successfully tested alternative superparamagnetic iron
oxide nanoparticles with improved biological and physical properties, which
represent alternative to commercially available dextran coated contrast
agents. Modified coating of the nanoparticles ensures higher efficiency at
lower concentrations and no adverse effects on islet viability or insulin
secretion.