Towards Photoswitchable Contrast Agents for Absolute 3D Temperature MR Imaging

Temperature can be used as clinical marker for tissue metabolism and the detection of inflammations or tumors. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for monitoring physiological parameters like the temperature noninvasively is steadily increasing. In this study, we present a proof‐of‐principle study of MRI contrast agents (CA) for absolute and concentration independent temperature imaging. These CAs are based on azoimidazole substituted Ni(II) porphyrins, which can undergo Light‐Driven Coordination‐Induced Spin State Switching (LD‐CISSS) in solution. Monitoring the fast first order kinetic of back isomerisation (cis to trans) with standard clinical MR imaging sequences allows the determination of half‐lives, that can be directly translated into absolute temperatures. Different temperature responsive CAs were successfully tested as prototypes in methanol‐based gels and created temperature maps of gradient phantoms with high spatial resolution (0.13×0.13×1.1 mm) and low temperature errors (<0.22 °C). The method is sufficiently fast to record the temperature flow from a heat source as a film.