Quantifying Liver Heterogeneity via R2*-MRI with Super-Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPION) to Characterize Liver Function and Tumor

Abstract

The use of super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as an MRI contrast agent (SPION-CA) can safely label hepatic macrophages and be localized within hepatic parenchyma for T2*- and R2*-MRI of the liver. To date, no study has utilized the R2*-MRI with SPIONs for quantifying liver heterogeneity to characterize functional liver parenchyma (FLP) and hepatic tumors. This study investigates whether SPIONs enhance liver heterogeneity for an auto-contouring tool to identify the voxel-wise functional liver parenchyma volume (FLPV). This was the first study to directly evaluate the impact of SPIONs on the FLPV in R2*-MRI for 12 liver cancer patients. By using SPIONs, liver heterogeneity was improved across pre- and post-SPION MRI sessions. On average, 60% of the liver [range 40–78%] was identified as the FLPV in our auto-contouring tool with a pre-determined threshold of the mean R2* of the tumor and liver. This method performed well in 10 out of 12 liver cancer patients; the remaining 2 needed a longer echo time. These results demonstrate that our contouring tool with SPIONs can facilitate the heterogeneous R2* of the liver to automatically characterize FLP. This is a desirable technique for achieving more accurate FLPV contouring during liver radiation treatment planning.

Unveiling the next generation of MRI contrast agents: current insights and perspectives on ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI

“…Using low-dose FE-MRI, they achieved quantification of liver heterogeneity and distinct spatial separation of liver tumors from healthy liver tissue. This approach shows promise for guiding liver cancer radiotherapy [ 95 ]. Additionally, ferumoxytol significantly improved the detection of bone marrow metastasis using diffusion-weighted imaging [ 96 ], primarily owing to its unique pharmacokinetic properties that are aptly tailored for bone marrow imaging.…”

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Iron-oxide Nanoparticles in the era of Personalized Medicine

“…Liver heterogeneity was enhanced during two MRI sessions with and without an intravenous SPION injection and the volume of FLP was recognized in auto-contouring system. This is a promising means of obtaining more precise liver function and tumor characterizations during radiation treatment planning 57 .…”

APOE Peripheral and Brain Impact: APOE4 Carriers Accelerate Their Alzheimer Continuum and Have a High Risk of Suicide in PM2.5 Polluted Cities

“…Thus, what we see as separate entities in experimental mice [ 35 ], is already in place in humans. Liver ApoE in urbanites highly exposed to NPs could readily worsen the NP BBB and brain damage, especially because the hepatocytes, Kupffer cells (KC), and sinusoidal endothelial cells are affected by NP-induced oxidative stress, sinusoidal dilatation, Kupffer cell hyperplasia, and liver inflammation [ 55 , 56 , 57 ]. Arsiwala and collaborators [ 58 ] showed increased liver monocytes and KC becoming apoptotic upon the IV injection of iron NP preparations to treat iron deficiency.…”

“…Arsiwala and collaborators [ 58 ] showed increased liver monocytes and KC becoming apoptotic upon the IV injection of iron NP preparations to treat iron deficiency. The presence of nanoparticles in both hepatocytes and KC in highly exposed urbanites (personal observation Angélica González-Maciel, Rafael Reynoso-Robles, Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas) and the acute effects on KC upon IV Fe treatment makes the issue very relevant to liver NP oxidative stress and inflammation [ 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ].…”