Zhao Li1, Chaohsiung Hsu1, Ryan Quiroz1, Raymond Ngo1, Clifton Shen2, Mark Girgis2, Vay L. Go3, Yu-Hao Chen4, Lian-Ping Hwang4, Yung-Ya Lin1
1Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States; 2Crump Molecular Imaging Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States; 3Center for Excellence in Pancreatic Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States; 4Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Early detection of high-grade malignancy using enhanced MRI techniques significantly increases not only the treatment options available, but also the patients survival rate. For this purpose, a conceptually new approach, termed Active-Feedback MR, was developed. An active feedback electronic device was homebuilt to implement active-feedback pulse sequences for spin avalanching amplification. With this new approach, early detection of pancreatic cancers can be achieved through sensitively imaging the dipolar fields induced by targeted magnetic nanoparticles. Early detection of orthotopic glioblastoma multiforme with 4-5 times improved contrast than conventional images can be reached through sensitively imaging susceptibility variations due to irregular water contents and deoxyhemoglobin.