The importance of quantifying molecular/cellular events cannot be overemphasized for molecular imaging. For example, the use of nanoparticles as delivery vehicles for diagnostic and therapeutic agents requires accurate counts of nanoparticles accumulated at the diseased tissue to make diagnostic decisions and gauge therapeutic dose. The measurement of drug dose at targeted sites is essential for monitoring therapy. Quantitative accuracy and reproducibility have to be established to standardize and cross-validate molecular MRI methods. So far there is a lack of effective tools to quantify molecular/cellular events. In this work we will use quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to map the distribution of super-paramagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles loaded with Paclitaxel. The successful execution of this work will lead to a robust, quantitative and accurate method for mapping magnetic markers in MRI. The resulting technique can be used to map and measure local drug dose delivered by magnetic nanoparticle vehicles targeting diseased tissue cells
A big barrier to effective cancer therapy using nanoparticles is the inability to confirm and quantify drug delivery at the target. This project will investigate th use of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, to map the whole body distribution of super paramagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles loaded with Paclitaxel in a mouse.
| Gorman, Andrew W; Deh, Kofi M; Schwiedrzik, Caspar M et al. (2018) Brain Iron Distribution after Multiple Doses of Ultra-small Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Particles in Rats. Comp Med 68:139-147 |
| Deh, Kofi; Nguyen, Thanh D; Eskreis-Winkler, Sarah et al. (2015) Reproducibility of quantitative susceptibility mapping in the brain at two field strengths from two vendors. J Magn Reson Imaging 42:1592-600 |
