Premium
Protein polymer MRI contrast agents: Longitudinal analysis of biomaterials in vivo
Author(s) -
KarfeldSulzer Lindsay S.,
Waters Emily A.,
Kohlmeir Ellen K.,
Kissler Hermann,
Zhang Xiaomin,
Kaufman Dixon B.,
Barron Annelise E.,
Meade Thomas J.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.22587
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , in vivo , magnetic resonance imaging , polymer , mri contrast agent , biomedical engineering , chemistry , biophysics , materials science , nanotechnology , nanoparticle , polymer chemistry , medicine , radiology , microbiology and biotechnology , organic chemistry , biology
Abstract Despite recent advances in tissue engineering to regenerate biological function by combining cells with material supports, development is hindered by inadequate techniques for characterizing biomaterials in vivo. Magnetic resonance imaging is a tomographic technique with high temporal and spatial resolution and represents an excellent imaging modality for longitudinal noninvasive assessment of biomaterials in vivo. To distinguish biomaterials from surrounding tissues for magnetic resonance imaging, protein polymer contrast agents were developed and incorporated into hydrogels. In vitro and in vivo images of protein polymer hydrogels, with and without covalently incorporated protein polymer contrast agents, were acquired by magnetic resonance imaging. T 1 values of the labeled gels were consistently lower when protein polymer contrast agents were included. As a result, the protein polymer contrast agent hydrogels facilitated fate tracking, quantification of degradation, and detection of immune response in vivo. For the duration of the in vivo study, the protein polymer contrast agent‐containing hydrogels could be distinguished from adjacent tissues and from the foreign body response surrounding the gels. The hydrogels containing protein polymer contrast agent have a contrast‐to‐noise ratio 2‐fold greater than hydrogels without protein polymer contrast agent. In the absence of the protein polymer contrast agent, hydrogels cannot be distinguished by the end of the gel lifetime. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.