Quantification of magnetic nanocomposites in biological tissue through a cross-calibration of X-ray and Magnetic Resonance Imaging with the help of a uniform phantom

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Helene Rahn
• Subject Area: Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology ; Biomedical Systems Technology ; Measurement Systems
• Term: from 2016 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 336472883

The success of the minimal invasive cancer therapies, such as magnetic drug targeting (MDT) and magnetic heating treatment (MHT), depends strongly on the correct distribution of the magnetic nanoparticles on one side. On the other side it depends on the fact that a sufficient amount of magnetic nanoparticles carrying drugs is accumulated in the target region.The aim of this particular research project is to analyse and quantify 3-dimensionally magnetic nanocomposites (MNC) distributions within biological tissue using both MRI and XCT technologies, and thus determine the most accurate and consistent methodology for MNC quantification. Magnetic nanocomposite quantification would be required to analyse drug distribution during MDT, MHT or for providing enhanced contrast for surgery. This is beneficial to the patient as diagnosis can be more accurate and timely, reducing the potential for mistakes and costly inefficiencies. Use of both, XµCT and MRI, in combination could increase the information attained and enhance the effective impact of the quantitative imaging.The 3-dimensional MNC-quantification shall be performed by a cross-calibration of XCT and MRI. For this a long-term stable phantom system suitable for MRI and XCT was developed, applied and tested by the applicant during a DFG sponsored research fellowship in 2014. The result was a specification range of an MRI- and an XCT-equipment. This long-term phantom needs to be improved towards its applicability in the clinical day use. Thereby parameters as its working temperature of 130 °C shall be reduced to max. 40 °C and the homogeneity of the MNC distribution needs to be improved. After the modification of the established phantom system, the new phantoms will be verified with phantoms consisting of biological tissue and MNC. The subsequent cross-calibration of MRI- and XCT equipments will be performed with the long-term phantoms and phantoms made of biological tissue and MNC.The gained result will be a 3-dimensional quantification of the MNC content and their biodistribution out of 3-dimensionl data with a standard imaging techniques. Thereby grey values of the MRI- and XCT data sets can be assigned to MNC concentration values. The outcome of the quantification can then be applied to various biomedical applications where magnetic nanoparticles play a key role.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Australia
• Host: Professor Tim St Pierre, Ph.D.