Onset and Maintenance of Angiogenesis in Biomaterials: In Vivo Assessment by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI

Objective: To describe dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) as a practical tool for longitudinal assessment of angiogenesis in biomaterials. Background: There is a lack of suitable methods for in vivo evaluation of the integration of biomaterials in a clinical setting. In oncology, DCE-MRI is used for the longitudinal monitoring of altered tumor angiogenesis during therapy. Thus, we investigated whether DCE-MRI enables to assess the integration of biomaterials over time. Methods: The tested material was bovine bone matrix applied in a bilateral sinus lift procedure in combination with concentrated mononuclear cells, including mesenchymal stem cells and autologous thrombin. To assess the development of new blood vessels inside the biomaterial, DCE-MRI was carried out before and 11, 25, 53, and 104 days after surgery. Perfusionparameters were calculated according to the model of Tofts. Results: Analysis of the data revealed increasing parameters for perfusion and blood supply withi...