Abstract #0455

MRI with Magnetic Nanoparticles Serves As a Biomarker For the Inflammation Associated with the Early, Insulitic Phase of Type I Diabetes

Alexander R. Guimaraes^1,2, Jason L. Gaglia^3,4, Mukesh G. Harisinghani², Christophe Benoist^3,4, Diane Mathis^3,4, Ralph Weissleder¹

¹Center for Systems Biology, Boston, MA, USA; ²Radiology/Massachusetts General Hospital, Division of Abdominal Imaging & Interventional Radiology, Boston, MA, USA; ³Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; ⁴Section on Immunology & Immunogenetics, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA, USA

The early, insulitic phase of type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is accompanied with leaky microvasculature and a macrophage infiltrate. We have developed and validated a technique based on MRI and magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) to allow indirect quantification and visualization of insulitis in animal models of DM. Our translation and application of this technique to a clinical trial involving 22 subjects reveal that changes in T2 may be a surrogate marker of the leaky vasculature and infiltrate associated with, and that this technique may distinguish and monitor patients in the early, insulitic phase of T1D.