磁共振造影（MRI）是目前熱門且能力強大的分子影像儀器，其中顯影劑是很重要且關鍵的角色，顯影劑可以提供更優良的組織影像對比度和影像解析度，但顯影劑發展受到元素選擇限制（T1顯影劑）和可選擇的超順磁性材料（T2顯影劑）在臨床醫學需求的限制，目前顯影劑的研發或改良都面臨到了瓶頸，無法有突破性的進展。因此本研究研發一種富含穩定同位素17O的四氧化三鐵磁性奈米粒子（Fe317O4 NPs），相較於Fe3O4 NPs，具有更低的T2值和更高的r2值，因此Fe317O4 NPs具有更高的組織對比度和偵測靈敏度。Fe317O4 NPs對 MRI顯影劑的發展瓶頸可說是一個突破性的進展，也是創新及有潛力的奈米材料。最重要的是Fe317O4 NPs沒有輻射傷害問題，在一般環境下就可以使用，Fe3O4 NPs是目前被允許可使用在人體的奈米材料，故Fe317O4 NPs成為新一代的兼具T1和T2型顯影劑是非常具有機會和潛力。
Magnetic resonance imaging（MRI）is currently a popular and powerful molecular imaging technology, in which contrast agents play a very important and critical role. Contrast agents can provide better tissue image contrast and resolution, but the development of contrast agents is limited in current situation. The main problem of T1 contrast agent is elemental selectivity is limited. The main limitation of T2 contrast agent is that only iron oxide nanoparticles can be used clinically. Current development or improvement of contrast agents is facing a bottleneck and cannot make breakthrough progress. Therefore, this study developed the 17O-rich iron oxide nanoparticles（Fe317O4 NPs）. Compared with Fe3O4 NPs, Fe317O4 NPs have a lower T2 value and a higher r2 value. Thus, Fe317O4 NPs are expected to have higher tissue contrast and detection sensitivity. Fe317O4 NPs is an innovative and promising nanomaterial and a breakthrough development for MRI contrast agents. The most important point is that Fe317O4 NPs do not have radiation damage and can be used in normal environment. Fe3O4 NPs are nanomaterials that are currently allowed to be used in the human body. Therefore, Fe317O4 NPs have great opportunities and potential to become a new generation of T1 and T2 contrast agents.
