Researchers from Skoltech have developed a contrast agent that can be used for ultrasound and MRI studies. The drug, presented as nanodrops with indocyanine green dye and magnetite - iron oxide (Fe2O3) particles, improves the image quality of the organ under study and also reduces the cost of the diagnosis itself.
The Skoltech press service explained that scientists conducted experiments on laboratory mice. The drug was injected into the rodent's tail vein, after which an increase in the contrast of ultrasound and MRI was noted.
The developers of nanodroplets note that the substance they created can potentially be used to treat diseases of the brain. According to project leader Dmitry Gorin, the layer-by-layer application method, with which nanodrops were obtained, allows loading them with medicinal substance. In particular, this makes it possible for minimally invasive therapy of glioblastoma with MRI support, he concluded.