Ten Things You Might Not Know about Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Since ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxides (USPIOs) are not associated with a risk of nephrogenic sclerosis, they can serve as a safer contrast agents compared with gadolinium chelates for MR angiography, tissue perfusion studies, and atherosclerotic plaque and tumor imaging; USPIOs are especially beneficial for patients with renal insufficiency or patients with uncertain creatinine laboratory values.

Abstract

Amid mounting concerns about nephrogenic sclerosis and gadolinium deposition in the brain, physicians and patients alike are starting to question the use of gadolinium chelates for clinical magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The search for safer alternatives is currently underway. In North America, the iron supplement ferumoxytol has gained considerable interest as an MR contrast agent. In Europe, ferumoxtran-10 is entering phase III clinical trials. As these agents are starting to be used by a new generation of radiologists, important clinical questions have re-emerged, including those that have been answered in the past. This article offers 10 important insights for the use of iron oxide nanoparticles in clinical MR imaging.