Functionalization of endovascular devices with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for interventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging

• Published in: Biomedical microdevices 2019-06, Vol.21 (2), p.38-11, Article 38
• Main Authors: Blanco, Elvin, Segura-Ibarra, Victor, Bawa, Danish, Nafiujjaman, Md, Wu, Suhong, Liu, Haoran, Ferrari, Mauro, Lumsden, Alan B., Shah, Dipan J., Lin, C. Huie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angioplasty; Animals; Balloon treatment; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biophysics; Cardiovascular system; Catheterization; Catheters; Contrast agents; Devices; Endovascular Procedures - instrumentation; Engineering; Engineering Fluid Dynamics; Female; Fluoroscopy; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Implants; in Honor of Mauro Ferrari’s 60th Birthday; Ionizing radiation; Iron oxides; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Interventional - instrumentation; Magnetite Nanoparticles - chemistry; Male; Medical equipment; Medical imaging; Medical instruments; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Poly(lactide-co-glycolide); Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer - chemistry; Polylactide-co-glycolide; Polymer coatings; Rapid prototyping; Resonance; Soft tissues; Special Issue on Biomedical Micro-Nanotechnologies toward Translation; Stents; Surgical implants; Swine; Wire
• ISSN: 1387-2176; 1572-8781
• DOI: 10.1007/s10544-019-0393-x

Presently, cardiovascular interventions such as stent deployment and balloon angioplasty are performed under x-ray guidance. However, x-ray fluoroscopy has poor soft tissue contrast and is limited by imaging in a single plane, resulting in imprecise navigation of endovascular instruments. Moreover, x-ray fluoroscopy exposes patients to ionizing radiation and iodinated contrast agents. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a safe and enabling modality for cardiovascular interventions. Interventional cardiovascular MR (iCMR) is a promising approach that is in stark contrast with x-ray fluoroscopy, offering high-resolution anatomic and physiologic information and imaging in multiple planes for enhanced navigational accuracy of catheter-based devices, all in an environment free of radiation and its deleterious effects. While iCMR has immense potential, its translation into the clinical arena is hindered by the limited availability of MRI-visible catheters, wire guides, angioplasty balloons, and stents. Herein, we aimed to create application-specific, devices suitable for iCMR, and demonstrate the potential of iCMR by performing cardiovascular catheterization procedures using these devices. Tools, including catheters, wire guides, stents, and angioplasty balloons, for endovascular interventions were functionalized with a polymer coating consisting of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles, followed by endovascular deployment in the pig. Findings from this study highlight the ability to image and properly navigate SPIO-functionalized devices, enabling interventions such as successful stent deployment under MRI guidance. This study demonstrates proof-of-concept for rapid prototyping of iCMR-specific endovascular interventional devices that can take advantage of the capabilities of iCMR.