Fabrication and Pulse Sequences Evaluation of Iron Oxides Nanoparticles as MRI Contrast Agent

Abstract

The objective of this study is to assess the in vivo MRI contrast agent of magnetic nanoparticles using pulse sequences at low field Tesla. For this purpose, magnetic nanoparticles were prepared with different weight percentage (2wt. % and 4wt. %) by co-precipitation method. Magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). XRD results showed that magnetic nanoparticles have an average crystalline size of 7.6nm and 5.1nm. Morphology of iron oxide nanoparticles was evaluated by SEM that elaborated non spherical and spherical structure of magnetic nanoparticle. Elemental analysis by EDX spectrum showed Fe, O and Cl present in iron oxide nanoparticles. VSM studies indicated the superparamagnetic nature of particle the saturation magnetization (Ms) of 2wt. % and 4wt. % were 29.4 emu/cm-3 and 75.8 emu/cm-3 respectively. T1-W and T2-W MRI images of liver and spleen were taken by Spin Echo (SE). Intensity of signal induced by contrast agent of magnetic nanoparticle for control, S.I and S.D for liver is 98 ±22 and, S.I and S.D for spleen is 111±17. For spin echo (SE), S.I and S.D for liver is 207 ±32 and , S.I and S.D for spleen is 189±32.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) results demonstrated that superparamagnetic nanoparticles have showed high signal intensity on T2-W images that can be used as capable candidate for T2-W MRI modalities.