Mn-Loaded Apoferritin: A High Sensitivity, Biologically Compatible MRI Agent.

Simonetta Geninatti-Crich¹, Ferenc Kalman¹, Ibolya Szabo¹, Stefania Lanzardo¹, Juan Carlos Cutrin¹, Laura Conti¹, Silvio Aime¹

An innovative approach to the design of MRI Contrast Agents has been pursued through the entrapment of Mn(II) aqua ions inside the inner cavity of Apoferritin. This imaging probe can be proposed in the diagnosis of a variety of liver diseases involving an alteration in the hepatic iron storing capabilities (e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma, fibrosis, cirrhosis).