Magneto-motive ultrasound imaging using superparamagnetic ferrite nanoparticle with enhanced saturation magnetization synthesized by a simple copreciptation method

In this study five different Zn-substituted magnetite nanoparticles, Zn_xFe_1-xFe₂O₄ (x=0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) prepared by a one-pot simple co-precipitation reaction, were used as contrast agents in magneto-motive ultrasound (MMUS) imaging. All samples were in superparamagnetic state with the size distribution between 30-40 nm. Magnetic measurements showed that the magnetization of magnetite was enhanced with substituting Zn for Fe in its structure. MMUS images were constructed using five gelatin phantoms each with an inclusion including the aforementioned nanoparticles. All nanoparticles have the potential to be used in MMUS imaging as a contrast agent and the induced displacement changed according to their magnetization values.