Liver and brain imaging through dimercaptosuccinic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles

Background & aim: Uptake, cytotoxicity and interaction of improved superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were studied in cells, tissues and organs after single and multiple exposures. Material & method: We prepared dimercaptosuccinic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles by thermal decomposition in organic medium, resulting in aqueous suspensions with a small hydrodynamic size (< 100 nm), high saturation magnetization and susceptibility, high nuclear magnetic resonance contrast and low cytotoxicity. Results: In vitro and in vivo behavior showed that these nanoparticles are efficient carriers for drug delivery to the liver and brain that can be combined with MRI detection.