MPI was first presented during 2005 and began
to come into its own by 2012. So far, only a handful of
prototype small-animal MPI scanners have been constructed
worldwide. It has the potential to revolutionize the
biomedical imaging field. The new tracer imaging modality is
gaining significant interest from NMR and MRI researchers. MPI
employs the same superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) contrast
agents that are sometimes used for MR angiography and are
often used for MRI cell tracking studies.
These SPIOs are much
safer for humans than iodine or gadolinium. SPIOs in MPI
generate positive, bright blood contrast. With this ideal
contrast, even prototype MPI scanners can already achieve
fast, high-sensitivity, and high-contrast angiograms with
millimeter-scale resolutions.
While the physics of MPI differ substantially from MRI, it employs hardware and imaging concepts that are familiar to MRI researchers, such as magnetic excitation and detection, pulse sequences, and relaxation effects.
While the physics of MPI differ substantially from MRI, it employs hardware and imaging concepts that are familiar to MRI researchers, such as magnetic excitation and detection, pulse sequences, and relaxation effects.
MPI shows great
potential for an exciting array of applications, including
stem cell tracking and inflammation imaging in vivo,
first-pass contrast studies to diagnose or stage cancer.