Magnetic nanoparticles as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging

• Main Authors: Chaughule, R. S., Purushotham, S., Ramanujan, Raju V.
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/98185; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12373
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In the field of nanotechnology, new magnetic materials such as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed as novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. This is due to their unique properties such as large surface area, biodegradability and superparamagnetic properties. This review article discusses the development of such contrast agents. The effect of relaxation times of magnetic NPs (MNPs) with varying size, surface modification etc. on the development of contrast in MRI is also discussed. Such MNPs are now commercially available because of their safety and high sensitivity.