Repetitive T2*-weighted image acquisition in vivo and contrast simulations were used to show that single iron oxide nanoparticle labeled cells can be resolved and tracked non-invasively by time-lapse MRI. Calculation of the velocity of intravascular moving immune cells in mice brain and velocity-dependent blurring of time-lapse contrast in simulations indicate that cell dynamics slower than 1 µm/s are detectable. Therefore, time-lapse MRI is able to reveal patrolling immune cells as hypointense spots and can be a suitable tool to study inflammatory diseases and the progression of cancer metastasis.
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