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Abstract #1878

Long term MR signal characteristics of Ferucarbotran-labeled mesenchymal stem cells: Discrimination of intra- and extracellular iron oxides before and after cell lysis

Bauer J, Frenzel T, Sutton E, Henning T, Fu Y, Daldrup-Link H
UCSF

Stem cell-based tissue replacement therapies require the assessment of engraftment and viability of transplanted cells. Iron oxide labeling and subsequent MR imaging provides an efficient method of in vivo tracking with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. This study demonstrates the long term signal effects of iron oxide labeled human mesenchymal stem cells on T1, T2 and T2*-sequences. The differentiation of intracellular versus extracellular contrast agent was made, corresponding to viable and dead cells respectively.