Breakthrough May Revolutionize Preclinical Imaging

A novel imaging technique for disease studies, translational research, and drug discovery will soon be made available to the biotechnology research community.

Bruker (Billerica, MA, USA) has announced the world’s first magnetic particle imaging (MPI) system, a novel technology for preclinical imaging. The MPI tomographic imaging technique relies on the detection of the magnetic properties of iron-oxide nanoparticles injected into the bloodstream to produce three-dimensional images. The system has been used to produce images that accurately captured the real-time physiological activity of a mouse's cardiovascular system,


The Bruker preclinical MPI scanner was developed in collaboration with Royal Philips (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), in a partnership that combined Bruker’s leadership in analytical magnetic resonance instruments with Philips’ strengths in medical imaging technology. The partners will co-market the preclinical MPI scanner.

Dr. Michael Heidenreich, technical director at Bruker, said, "We are very pleased about this breakthrough in preclinical imaging and our collaboration with Philips on this exciting technology. Magnetic particle imaging is a novel imaging modality that is expected to enable scientists to address an extensive range of new issues in preclinical research. MPI nicely complements Bruker’s preclinical imaging product portfolio of now nine different modalities. The highly sensitive visualization of functional characteristics in vivo at high temporal resolution offers great potential for small animal imaging, especially when combined with high spatial resolution morphological MRI."

"Magnetic particle imaging represents a fundamentally new imaging modality with an exceptional ability to image in vivo functional behavior," said Homer Pien, chief technology officer at Philips. "We are particularly excited about its potential for providing new insights into cardiovascular disease, cancer, and stem cell therapies. Going forward, I am convinced that the results from the research studies conducted with preclinical MPI systems will provide valuable guidance for our ongoing development of a whole-body clinical MPI system."

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