Nanotubular paramagnetic probes as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging based on the diffusion tensor

Abstract

Exogenous nanotubular materials can be used to induce and perturb selectively the anisotropic diffusion of water molecules in the surrounding medium in a manner detectable by magnetic resonance imaging (see scheme; ADC: apparent translational diffusion coefficient). Nanotubes may be suitable contrast agents in studies of the microstructural basis of tissue anisotropy and its pathological implications.