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Experimental system to detect a labeled cell monolayer in a microfluidic environment
Author(s) -
Gargam Nicolas,
Darrasse Luc,
Raynaud JeanSebastien,
Ginefri JeanChristoph,
Robert Philippe,
PoirierQuinot Marie
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.24893
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , in vivo , biodistribution , materials science , magnetic resonance imaging , monolayer , gradient echo , microfluidics , relaxation (psychology) , quenching (fluorescence) , nuclear magnetic resonance , biomedical engineering , biophysics , chemistry , nanotechnology , optics , physics , fluorescence , medicine , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , radiology , paleontology
Purpose To investigate the feasibility of detecting a living cell monolayer labeled with gadoterate (Gd‐DOTA) in a microfluidic environment, by micromagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a 2.35T small‐animal system. The development of new targeted contrast agents (CAs) requires proof‐of‐concept studies in order to establish the detectability of the CA and to predict the role of biodistribution in its uptake mechanisms. A promising approach is to carefully mimic the in vivo pharmacokinetic context with reduced experimental complexity compared to in vivo situations. Materials and Methods A dedicated experimental system was built by combining a microfluidic slide and a radiofrequency probe based on a 6 mm diameter multiturn transmission‐line resonator. Adherent KB cells were incubated with different concentrations of Gd. MRI data were acquired at 2.35T with a 3D gradient echo and a resolution of 12.4 μm perpendicular to the cell layer. The longitudinal relaxation rate, R 1 , was measured as a function of the amount of Gd internalized by the cells. Results R 1 measurements for different Gd concentrations per cell were performed using data with an signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of 100. Relaxation‐rate variations ΔR 1 of 0.035 s −1 were measured. A quenching effect was observed at Gd concentrations above 20 fmol/cell. Conclusion Our results suggest that this dedicated experimental system is suitable for specifically assessing new high‐relaxivity targeted CAs under real‐time uptake conditions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:1100–1105.