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The Use of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles to Assess Cardiac Inflammation

  • Molecular Imaging (G Strijkers, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Superparamagnetic iron oxide-based contrast agents enhance and complement in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by shortening T2 and T2* relaxation times. They are able to highlight areas of cellular inflammation, being detected and engulfed by cells of the reticuloendothelial system, and can be targeted to specific cellular processes or subtypes using antibody or ligand labeling. These agents have been used preclinically for the assessment of cardiac transplant rejection, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, and stem and endothelial cell imaging, with clinical applications now emerging. We here review recent studies using iron oxide particles to image cardiac inflammation, and highlight the potential of these agents for future clinical and research applications.

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Funding

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Chief Scientist Office (CSO) have provided grants supporting work in this field at our center carried out by CS, JR and DEN. Work currently carried out by CS and DEN is supported by grants from the the BHF (FS/12/83/29781) and the CSO (ETM/266). JR was supported by a BHF Clinical PhD Training Fellowship (FS/07/060). DEN is supported by the British Heart Foundation (CH/09/002).

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Conflict of Interest

Colin G Stirrat, David E Newby, Jennifer MJ Robson, and Maurits A Jansen declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Heart Foundation/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Room SU 305 Chancellor’s Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK

    Colin G. Stirrat, David E. Newby, Jennifer M. J. Robson & Maurits A. Jansen

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  1. Colin G. Stirrat
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  2. David E. Newby
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  3. Jennifer M. J. Robson
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  4. Maurits A. Jansen
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Correspondence to Colin G. Stirrat.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Molecular Imaging

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Stirrat, C.G., Newby, D.E., Robson, J.M.J. et al. The Use of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles to Assess Cardiac Inflammation. Curr Cardiovasc Imaging Rep 7, 9263 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-014-9263-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-014-9263-3

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