Preparation and characterization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the physical and magnetic properties of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticle prepared in our laboratory and evaluate its possibility for use as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The SPIO nanoparticle was obtained by means of classical coprecipitation in dextran solution and its size determined by electron microscopy and photon-correlation spectroscopy. The iron content was determined by phenanthroline photometry, and T(2) values as well as relaxivity evaluated with a clinical MR system at 1.5T.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Dextran-coated magnetite particles with a hydrodynamic diameter of 85.9 nm were prepared. The iron core size was 15 nm and the formation of Fe(3)O(4) crystal in SPIO nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. These particles possessed some characteristics of superparamagnetic and show a smaller spin-spin relaxation, with relaxivity and saturation magnetization of 0.1567 mmol(-1)/ms(-1) and 80 emu/g Fe, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A stable SPIO nanoparticle with a dextran coating have been developed, and in vitro evaluation of its physical and magnetic properties suggests its potential for use as the contrast agent in MRI.</p>