Room temperature ferromagnetic Gd$_{\mathrm{5}}$Si$_{\mathrm{4}}$ nanoparticles as T2 contrast agents for MRI.

POSTER

Abstract

Room temperature ferromagnetic Gd$_{\mathrm{5}}$Si$_{\mathrm{4}}$ nanoparticles were synthesized using arc-melting and ball milling. We have demonstrated that these particles can be used as improved contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. The ball milled Gd$_{\mathrm{5}}$Si$_{\mathrm{4}}$ nanostructured material shows ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition near 340 K revealing long range magnetic order of Gd$_{\mathrm{5}}$Si$_{\mathrm{4}}$ phase. The phase structure and the magnetic measurements yield orthorhombic Gd$_{\mathrm{5}}$Si$_{\mathrm{4}}$ with magnetization of 45 emu/g. Echo time was measured in a 7T MRI system showing significant reduction compared to the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Such results show the potential of Gd$_{\mathrm{5}}$Si$_{\mathrm{4}}$ ferromagnetic nanoparticles as T2 contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging. However these particles did not show reduction in T1 times.

*Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358 with Iowa State University

Authors

  • Ahmed El-Gendy

    • Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23284

  • Shane Harstad

    • Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23284
    • Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

  • Shalabh Gupta

    • Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Ames Laboratory, US Dept. of Energy, Ames, IA 50011

  • Vitalij Pecharsky

    • Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Ames Laboratory, US Dept. of Energy, Ames, IA 50011

  • Vimalan Vijayaragavan

    • Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284

  • Jamal Zweit

    • Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284

  • Ravi Hadimani

    • Department of Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA, US
    • Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23284
    • Virginia Commonwealth University