X-ray based magnetic particle imaging

Abstract

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging preclinical imaging modality that offers several notable advantages, including excellent biosafety, high sensitivity, and superior image contrast. To further improve spatial resolution and expand the effective field of view, this study proposes a novel X-ray based MPI approach. In this method, magnetic nanoparticles are employed as contrast agents for X-ray imaging, while an external magnetic field is applied to modulate their X-ray absorption coefficient. Consequently, the spatial distribution of the magnetic nanoparticles can be translated into quantifiable variations in X-ray beam intensity. A proof-of-concept experiment was conducted using a custom-built, simplified device to preliminarily validate the feasibility of the proposed method, and the observed imaging behavior was interpreted within the framework of magnetic dipole–dipole interaction theory. This X-ray based MPI method demonstrates significant potential for practical application, offering a new technical paradigm that may advance the translational development of MPI toward clinical implementation.