Biomedical applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated within chitosan

Abstract Microspheres composed of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO; Fe 3 O 4 ; magnetite) nanoparticles and chitosan were developed as a novel MRI-detectable embolic material. Spherical SPIO nanoparticles were synthesized and embedded in polyglucosamine (chitosan) by sonochemical method. The ferrofluid, solution of SPIO-embedded chitosan, was sprayed on the surface of an alkali solution with a nozzle to produce SPIO-chitosan microspheres, from which 100–150 μm microspheres were sifted out. The sifted microspheres were injected into the blood vessel leading to the kidney of a New Zealand white rabbit via an angiographic catheter in vivo , and they appeared to be detected in MR images of the kidney.