MRI clinical applications

  • MR molecular imaging: is the end in sight for nuclear medicine?

9. Interventional MRI

  • Researchers are beginning to use MRI to image cellular and molecular processes.
  • The images below show signal changes following the injection of an MRI contrast agent targeted to aVb3 integrin into a mouse with an implanted tumour. The agent is taken up preferentially in areas of angiogenesis.
  • But it is early days, and nuclear medicine is probably safe for the foreseeable future!

Schmieder AH et al (2003) Magn Reson Med 53 621-627