Recently, a magnetic targeting method has been proposed for localizing drug carriers such as liposomes containing both magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and drugs in the objective organ or tissue by applying an external magnetic field, and it attracts attention as a next-generation therapeutic strategy for cancer. The application of this approach with use of nebulized MNPs to lung cancer has also been considered. The development of a method to specifically image MNPs is desired to realize this therapeutic strategy. This study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of applying magnetic particle imaging (MPI) to pulmonary imaging using nebulized MNPs and to evaluate the usefulness and reliability of this approach using phantom and small animal experiments. Results suggest that MPI can be applied to pulmonary imaging by nebulizing MNPs and it will be useful for monitoring the effectiveness of magnetically targeted delivery of drugs.
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