Micro-Traveling Wave Magnetic Particle Imaging—Sub-Millimeter Resolution With Optimized Tracer LS-008

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a novel tomographic imaging method, which allows determining the distribution of superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles in three dimensions. So far, various MPI systems have been presented with each one emphasizing different scanner features such as large field of view (FOV) or high resolution. For imaging with both high resolution and a large FOV, the optimization and harmonization of hardware parameters as well as tracer material are key prerequisites. The traveling wave MPI (TWMPI) approach uses an array of electromagnets, which can provide a high magnetic field gradient for a high resolution as well as a mouse-sized FOV at the same time. In combination with the tracer LS-008, which is optimized for the MPI technique, a resolution in the sub-millimeter range can be achieved. In this paper, an optimized scanner is presented based on the TWMPI approach featuring a gradient strength up to almost 10 T/m in an FOV with a length of 45 mm providing a high resolution below 500 microns using the optimized LS-008 tracer.