Assessment of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Coatings on Magnetic Resonance Relaxation for Early Disease Detection

Objective: Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) are widely researched as contrast agents in clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SPIONs are frequently coated with anti-biofouling substances such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to prevent protein deposition and improve circulation time in vivo. The aim of this study is to optimize SPION MR properties with respect to physicochemical properties of the core SPION and the polymeric coating to better understand the interaction of these parameters and the efficacy of the designed agent. Methods: We used different methods of chemical attachment of a polymer, polymer chain length, and polymer coating density and examined their effects on the MR relaxivities of SPIONs. Results: These studies indicate that the chemical composition and, in particular, the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the chemical group linking PEG chains to a SPION core may play a larger role in the resulting MR relaxivities than other variable properties such as SPION core size and PEG chain length. Conclusions: The method of SPION fabrication and chemical composition of the coating play a significant role in the MR relaxivities of the resulting particles. These results should be considered in the fabrication of particles for clinical purposes, particularly when optimization of the MR relaxivities is desired.