Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising cellular therapeutic. However, this therapy is limited by MSC apoptosis following administration, which can ultimately trigger immune rejection. In this study we explored the ability to label, detect, and quantify both MSCs and infiltrating macrophages using both iron and fluorine-19 (19F) based MRI cell tracking. With a dual-tuned surface coil and a 3D bSSFP sequence, we demonstrated that both cell populations can be monitored during the same imaging session. This is the first study to image macrophage infiltration in vivo using 19F on a 3T clinical MRI system.
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