We have developed a new, ultra-sensitive and affordable 3D scanner designed to image the distribution of a magnetic nanostructure contrast agents in vivo. MPI has several important advantages over existing imaging methods, such as MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and CT. First, the Magnetic Particle Imaging scanner directly detects a nanoparticle's electronic magnetism, which is 1 million times more intense than the nuclear paramagnetism detected in MRI, so this new modality promises unprecedented contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). MPI employs MRI nanoparticle contrast agents, which are non-toxic and FDA approved. MPI scanners will be safe, lightweight, table-top, affordable, and will require neither cryogens nor an expert operator.
Project end date: 08/18/11