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Abstract #3812

19 F MRI for non-invasive imaging of treatment failure in microencapsulated pancreatic cell therapy

Dian R. Arifin 1,2 , Deepak Kadayakkara 1,2 , and Jeff W.M. Bulte 1,2

1 Russell H. Morgan Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States, 2 Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States

We developed fluorine-labeled alginate microcapsules (fluorocapsules) for protection of transplanted pancreatic cells against immunorejection. Our goal is to assess the feasibility of 19 F MRI to non-invasively visualize the degradation of fluoroencapsulated cell grafts, and therefore the impending failure of cell therapy in the case of capsule rupture. We successfully demonstrated that the release and dissipation of the fluorine agent upon capsule rupture could be detected as a reduction in 19 F MR signal. This corresponded to a decrease in cell viability, indicating that 19 F MRI can be used as a surrogate marker to predict therapeutic success or failure.

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