Superparamagnetic Gd- and Mn-substituted Magnetite Fluids Applied as MRI Contrast Agents

The experimental particle samples included ($Mn_{0.1}Fe_{0.9}$)O-$Fe_2O_3$ and FeO-($Gd_{0.1}Fe_{0.9}$)$_2O_3$ with $Mn^{2+}\;and\;Gd^{3+}$ substitutions in inverse spinel $Fe_3O_4$. A lecithin surfactant was adsorbed onto the magnetic particles by ultrasonication. The samples prepared showed excellent dispersibility at the mean size of 13 nm; their saturation magnetization values were 63 emu/g for the bare and Mn-substituted magnetites, and 56 emu/g for the Gd-substituted magnetite. The crystal structure of the substituted magnetites was very similar to that of the bare magnetite, due to a small amount of 0.1 mole fraction substituted in synthesizing the magnetite. The magnetite fluids, according to T2-weighted MR images, effectively diminished the signal intensity in the liver and spleen of Sprague-Dawley rats.