In this study, a comprehensive characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized by using a simple one-pot thermal decomposition route is presented. In order to obtain monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles with high saturation magnetization, close to the bulk material, the molar ratios between the starting materials (solvents, reducing agents, and surfactants) were varied. Two out of nine conditions investigated in this study resulted in monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles with high saturation magnetization (90 and 93% of bulk magnetite). The X-ray diffraction analyses along with the inspection of the lattice structure through transmission electron micrographs revealed that the main cause of the reduced magnetization in the other seven samples is likely due to the presence of distortion and microstrain in the particles. Although the thermogravimetric analysis, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies confirmed the presence of covalently bonded oleic acid on the surface of all the samples, the particles with higher polydispersity and the lowest surface coating molecules showed the lowest saturation magnetization. Based on the observed results, it could be speculated that the changes in the kinetics of the reactions, induced by varying the molar ratio of the starting chemicals, can lead to the production of the particles with higher polydispersity and/or lattice deformation in their crystal structures. Finally, it was concluded that the experimental conditions for obtaining high-quality iron oxide nanoparticles, particularly the molar ratios and the heating profile, should not be chosen independently; for any specific molar ratio, there may exist a specific heating profile or vice versa. Because this synthetic consideration has rarely been reported in the literature, our results can give insights into the design of iron oxide nanoparticles with high saturation magnetization for different applications.

Optimizing the intrinsic properties of magnetic nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia is of considerable concern. In addition, the heating efficiency of the nanoparticles can be substantially influenced by dipolar interactions. Since adequate control of the intrinsic properties of magnetic nanoparticles is not straightforward, experimentally studying the complex interplay between these properties and dipolar interactions affecting the specific loss power can be challenging. Substituting zinc in magnetite structure is considered as an elegant approach to tune its properties. Here, we present experimental and numerical simulation results of magnetic hyperthermia studies using a series of zinc-substituted magnetite nanoparticles (Zn_xFe_1-xFe₂O₄, x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4). All experiments were conducted in linear regime and the results were inferred based on the numerical simulations conducted in the framework of the linear response theory. The results showed that depending on the nanoparticles intrinsic properties, interparticle interactions can have different effects on the specific loss power. When dipolar interactions were strong enough to affect the heating efficiency, the parameter σ = K_effV/k_BT (K_eff is the effective anisotropy and V the volume of the particles) determined the type of the effect. Finally, the sample x = 0.1 showed a superior performance with a relatively high intrinsic loss power 5.4 nHm²kg⁻¹.

Objective: Nanotheranostic systems integrate therapeutic and diagnostic procedures using nanotechnology. This type of approach has enabled the development of methods for early detection and treatment of different pathologies. Magnetic hyperthermia (MH) has been proposed as an alternative or complementary method of cancer therapy. However, challenges such as delivering and localizing the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) within tissues and monitoring the temperature during the treatment hinder this technique to be effectively translated into clinical routine. Therefore, in this study a theranostic platform has been proposed and examined to address two main issues, localizing MNPs and real-time temperature monitoring, for preclinical MH. Methods: The system integrates magnetomotive (MMUS) and thermal ultrasound imaging with MH. An ultrasound device was used to acquire MMUS images to detect MNPs, and ultrasound thermometry to monitor the temperature. This platform was designed such that a single coil generated the magnetic field for MMUS and MH. The feasibility of the system was examined using a tissue mimicking phantom containing an inclusion filled with zinc substituted magnetite NPs. Results: These MNPs were effectively used as contrast agent for MMUS and to generate heat during MH. In addition to localizing MNPs, real-time two-dimensional temperature maps were obtained with substantial concordance (pc>0.97) with invasive measurements using fiber optic thermometer. The heating rate was proportional to the displacements in MMUS (r=0.92). Conclusion: Ultrasound thermometry was successfully used to monitor the temperature during MH. In addition, it was shown that acquiring MMUS images prior to MH can qualitatively predict the temperature distribution of the MNP-laden regions.

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an emerging tomographic modality that allows for precise three-dimensional (3D) mapping of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) concentration and distribution. Although significant progress has been made towards improving MPI since its introduction, scaling it up for human applications has proven challenging. High-quality images have been obtained in animal-scale MPI scanners with gradients up to 7 T/m/μ ₀ , however, for MPI systems with bore diameters around 200 mm the gradients generated by electromagnets drop significantly to below 0.5 T/m/μ ₀ . Given the current technological limitations in image reconstruction and the properties of available MNPs, these low gradients inherently impose limitations on improving MPI resolution for higher precision medical imaging. Utilizing superconductors stands out as a promising approach for developing a human-scale MPI system. In this study, we introduce, for the first time, a human-scale amplitude-modulated (AM) MPI system with superconductor-based selection coils. The system achieves an unprecedented magnetic field gradient of up to 2.5 T/m/μ ₀ within a 200 mm bore diameter, enabling large fields of view of 100 × 130 × 98 mm ³ at 2.5 T/m/μ ₀ for 3D imaging. While obtained spatial resolution is in the order of previous animal-scale AM MPIs, incorporating superconductors for achieving such high gradients in a 200 mm bore diameter marks a major step toward clinical MPI.