Hydrophilic fluorinated molecules for spectral ¹⁹F MRI

Area of Science:

• Molecular imaging
• Biomedical engineering
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

Background:

• Fluorine-19 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (¹⁹F MRI) is a promising technique for molecular imaging and cell tracking.
• Current ¹⁹F MRI probes, like perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs), are hydrophobic, limiting their formulation flexibility for in vivo use.
• The wide chemical shift range of organofluorine compounds allows for multiple probes with distinct ¹⁹F MR signatures, enabling simultaneous detection of various molecular targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible method for creating stable liposomal formulations of hydrophilic fluorinated molecules for ¹⁹F MRI.
• To enhance the encapsulation efficiency and per-particle load of ¹⁹F atoms in these novel probes.
• To demonstrate the capability of simultaneous multi-target imaging in vivo using spectral ¹⁹F MRI with these new probes.

Main Methods:

• Development of a flexible formulation approach for stable liposomal encapsulation of hydrophilic fluorinated molecules.
• Characterization of ¹⁹F encapsulation capacity, achieving up to 22.7 mg/mL.
• Quantification of per-particle ¹⁹F atom load, reaching 3.6 × 10⁶ atoms.
• Demonstration of simultaneous multi-target imaging using spectral ¹⁹F MRI with a combination of developed probes.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of stable liposomal formulations for hydrophilic fluorinated molecules.
• High ¹⁹F encapsulation efficiency and per-particle load achieved.
• Demonstrated artifact-free simultaneous imaging of multiple targets within a single volume using spectral ¹⁹F MRI.
• Validated the utility of these probes for advanced molecular imaging applications.

Conclusions:

• The developed formulation strategy offers enhanced flexibility for creating hydrophilic ¹⁹F MRI probes.
• These novel probes facilitate high-sensitivity, simultaneous multi-target imaging with spectral ¹⁹F MRI.
• This advancement holds significant potential for improving molecular imaging and cell tracking applications in vivo.