Lisette H. Deddens1, Geralda A. F. Van Tilborg1, Annette Van der Toorn1, Leonie E.M. Paulis2, Gustav J. Strijkers2, Gert Storm3, Willem J. M. Mulder4, Helga E. De Vries5, Rick M. Dijkhuizen1
1Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; 2Biomedical NMR, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands; 3Biopharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; 4Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, United States; 5Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Molecular imaging of neuroinflammation after stroke is a challenging field. In this abstract we describe the comparison between two multivalent contrast agent platforms targeted to ICAM-1, i.e. gadolinium-loaded liposomes and micron-sized particles of iron oxide. Particles were injected 24h after experimental stroke in mice, and MRI was performed directly after injection and 24h thereafter. Both types of particles effectively targeted ICAM-1 under In Vitro and in vivo conditions, but significant in vivo detection with MRI in post-stroke mouse brain was only achieved with ICAM-1-targeted MPIO. Our data advocate the use of targeted MPIO as most effective contrast agent platform for in vivo molecular MRI after stroke.