Targeted Molecular Iron Oxide Contrast Agents for Imaging Atherosclerotic Plaque
Rhiannon J. Evans, Begoña Lavín, Alkystis Phinikaridou, Kok Yean Chooi, Zahra Mohri, Eunice Wong, Joseph J. Boyle, Rob Krams, René M. Botnar, Nicholas J. Long
Abstract
Overview: Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide, with vulnerable plaque rupture the underlying cause of many heart attacks and strokes. Much research is focused on identifying an imaging biomarker to differentiate stable and vulnerable plaque. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-ionising and non-invasive imaging modality with excellent soft tissue contrast. However, MRI has relatively low sensitivity (micromolar) for contrast agent detection compared to nuclear imaging techniques. There is also an increasing emphasis on developing MRI probes that are not based on gadolinium chelates because of increasing concerns over associated systemic toxicity and deposits 1 . To address the sensitivity and safety concerns of gadolinium this project focused on the development of a high relaxivity probe based on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for the imaging of atherosclerotic plaque with MRI. With development, this may facilitate differentiating stable and vulnerable plaque in vivo.