MAGNETITE NANOPARTICLES AS CONTRAST AGENTS FOR TERAHERTZ IMAGING ENDOSCOPY IN GASTROENTEROLOGY - IN VITRO SAFETY ESTIMATION

Aims Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and imaging is a relatively new arrived technology, with a plethora of possible applications in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science and medicine. In medicine, terahertz imaging could represent the future of noninvasive methods for early detection of different pathologies, with a special focus on oncology. The background for terahertz imaging is based on differences in water content and structural variations in tissues, normal and neoplastic structures displays obviously different THz absorption. An important aspect of terahertz imaging is also the identification and the development of new contrast agents to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of the method. The aim of study is the evaluation of the new developed nanoparticles as contrast agents by in vitro tests in order to assess the safety profile and the possible genotoxic impact.