Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Stem Cell Viability Using Dual Positive (T1) and Negative (T2*) Contrast Agents in a Mouse Brain Injury Model

Ethel Ngen¹, Yoshinori Kato¹, Wenlian Zhu¹, Dmitri Artemov¹

Given the current need to non-invasively monitor transplanted stem cell viability and integration in vivo, we evaluated the ability of a novel MRI stem cell tracking technique to monitor cell viability in vivo. Stem cells were labeled with both high molecular weight negative and low molecular weight positive contrast agents, then implanted contra-laterally to a cerebral lesion in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent mice. Following graft rejection in immunocompetent mice, T1 enhancement was observed in the surrounding site. These results suggest that T1 changes in the surroundings of transplanted stem cells could be used to track, their viability in vivo.