Learning objectives
Nanobased contrast agents represent one the most promising applications of nanotechnology.
This poster is the first glimpse of nanotechnology through the eyes of a radiologist.
This article intends:
a)to provide the general radiologist with “in 2015 must know” terms regarding the applications of nanotechnology in imaging
b)to give young radiologists a theoretical trigger to become actively involved in applied research integrating nanotechnology and imaging.
c)to use computed tomography as an example to demonstrate some of the concerns regarding research in the field of nanosized contrast...
Background
In this section we are going to explain and clarify some terms that every radiologist wanting to keep up pace with the applications of nanotechnology in imaging should know in the year 2015.
What do we mean by the term nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is a relatively elastic term that has been used through time to describe many different things.
For the layman nanotechnology describes more or less everything that has to do with the “magical” world of the very small things.
In a more scientific context...
Findings and procedure details
In this section we are going to demonstrate on the example of computed tomography how nanotechnology is currently applied in CT imaging.
More specifically,
we are going to give a general overview of some important nanobased contrast agents used in CT pointing out some of their interesting features as well as some of the concerns researchers have to face in their manufacture.
It is worth mentioning that nanoparticles of larger sizes (larger than 400nm) tend to be taken up by macrophage cells through opsonization.
So,...
Conclusion
“Now,
you might say,
“Who should this and why should they do it?” Well,
I pointed out a few of the economic applications,
but I know that the reason that you would do it might be just for fun.
But have some fun! Let’s have a competition between laboratories.
Let one laboratory make a tiny motor which it sends to another lab which sends it back with a thing that fits inside the shaft of the first motor!”
(Richard Feynman,
1959,
“There is plenty of...
Personal information
A.
Bompoti1,2,
V.
Karagkiozaki3
1.
Papageorgiou General Hospital Thessaloniki
2.Laboratory of Mechanics and Materials,
School of Engineering,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
3.Lab for Thin Films - Nanosystems and Nanometrology (LTFN),
Physics Department,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
Thessaloniki,
GR-54124,
Greece
References
1.
Badea CT,
Athreya KK,
Espinosa G,
Clark D,
Ghafoori AP,
Li Y,
Kirsch DG,
Johson GA,
Annapragada A,
Ghaghada KB (2012) Computed Tomography Imaging of Primary Lung Cancer in Mice Using a Liposomal-Iodinated Contrast Agent,
PLoS One.
[online] 7(4): e34496.
Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3317632/ [Published online Apr 2,
2012]
2.
Shilo M,
Reuveni T,
Motiei M,
Popovtzer R (2012) Nanoparticles as computed tomography contrast agents:current status and future perspectives.
Nanomedicine(Lond). 7(2).
p.
257-69
3.Lee N,
Choi SH,
Hyeon T.
(2014) Nano-sized CT contrast agents.
Advanced...