Maghemite nanoparticles coated by methacrylamide-based polymer for magnetic particle imaging

A wise selection of tracers is critical for magnetic particle imaging (MPI). Most of the current tracers are based on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with a suitable coating. We prepared maghemite cores (gamma -Fe2O3) by coprecipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) salts with ammonium hydroxide followed by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and stabilization as an anionic (gamma -Fe2O3 circle minus) or cationic colloid (gamma -Fe2O3?). The cores were coated by poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide)-co-N-[2-(hydroxyamino)-2-oxo-ethyl]-2-methyl-prop-2-enamide. The particles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, tested in vitro in a field-free point MPI scanner, and compared to nanoparticles prepared by oxidation with sodium hypochlorite and to the commercially available Resovist (R). The cores had an average diameter of 8.0 nm (gamma -Fe2O3?) and 8.7 nm (gamma -Fe2O3 circle minus); the hydrodynamic diameter was 88 nm. Zeta potential values for both positively charged (+52 mV) and negatively charged particles (-60 mV) provided for good colloidal stabilization. Spinel structure of maghemite was confirmed by Mossbauer spectroscopy. The uncoated gamma -Fe2O3? particles yielded an MPI signal lower (by 16 %) than Resovist; the coated ones reached 88 % of the Resovist signal. Anionic gamma -Fe2O3 circle minus particles reached a higher (uncoated particles, by 15 %) or comparable (coated ones) signal relative to Resovist with a substantially lower signal dispersion. Control particles prepared by oxidation with sodium hypochlorite scored the weakest results. To conclude, a suitable size, narrow size distribution, and colloidal stability predispose the synthetized particles for use as a tracer for MPI. The anionic particles provided a higher signal with a lower dispersion than commercial tracers.

Automated summary

The synthesized nanoparticles showed potential as tracers for MPI, with the anionic particles exhibiting higher signal and lower dispersion compared to commercial tracers.