Abstract #4267

Monitoring the Biodegradation of Implanted Hydrogel Cell Scaffolds using CEST MRI

Wei Zhu¹, Chengyan Chu¹, Shreyas Kuddannaya¹, Yue YUan¹, Piotr Walczak¹, Anirudha Singh², Xiaolei Song¹, and Jeff W.M. Bulte¹

¹Russell H. Morgan Dept. of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States, ²Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States

Scaffolding cells with hydrogels is a promising strategy to treat many tissue injuries and diseases. Observing hydrogel degradation is essential as it correlates to the cell release from the hydrogel. We monitored implanted hydrogel degradation using CEST MRI, with validation using two-color in vivo near-infrared imaging. An excellent correlation was found between these two methods, with gelation as the major decomposing component. The results demonstrate that CEST MRI can serve as a robust tool for monitoring hydrogel degradation in vivo.

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