Alexander Yowei Sheu1, Zhuoli Zhang1, Weiguo Li1, Reed A. Omary1, 2, Andrew C. Larson1, 2
1Radiology, Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; 2Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University - McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Evanston, IL, United States
This study aims to demonstrate transcatheter intra-arterial (IA) infusion for targeted delivery to HCC and to validate the potential of iron oxide labeling methods to visualize IA natural killer lymphocyte (NK) delivery with MRI. NKs were labeled with iron oxide nanoparticles. Liver tumors were grown in rats. Catheter was placed in proper hepatic artery; 7.0T MRI performed T2*W scans pre- and post- NK infusion. NK viability was unchanged after labeling. Labeling efficacy was >95%. Infusions significantly reduced tumor T2*. Histologic NK measurements were significantly higher in tumor than normal liver. Selective intra-hepatic delivery of labeled NKs was visualized with MRI.