Joseph Nneji

The data in this article provide detail regarding the rat brain atlas measurements discussed in our research article, “Quantitative vascular neuroimaging of the rat brain using superparamagnetic nanoparticles: New insights on vascular organization and brain function” (Gharagouzloo et al., 2017) [1]. This article provides datasets of quantitative cerebral blood volume (qCBV) measurements across 173 regions of the rat brain in 11 healthy rats. State-changes from this baseline during isoflurane and CO2 administration are provided for all regions and all animals.

Currently there isn't any definitive and non‐destructive test for predicting the accumulation of nanoparticles within tumors, and longitudinal monitoring of delivery requires a baseline using current methodologies. Diagnostic tools that make quantitative, independent measurements are needed to move product to the market. We utilized a subcutaneous PC‐3 tumor modal in 5 mice to predict and quantify accumulation of ferumoxytol. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was utilized pre‐contrast to map out the diffusion anisotropy on a per‐voxel basis throughout the tumor to generate a predictive map for passive accumulation. QUTE‐CE MRI, a novel imaging modality developed in our lab, along with T1 and T2 measurements was used to follow accumulation. We are developing a methodology for both predicting and unambiguously characterizing the heterogeneous accumulation of nanoparticles within tumors from the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. This impacts the market of cancer pharmaceuticals, currently limited by its predictive ability of exclusive drug delivery to the tumor. We accurately predicted the heterogeneous accumulation of ferumoxytol with DTI. QUTE‐CE MRI proved to be more efficacious than T1 or T2 measurements, producing a better or comparable CNR, as well as clear, unambiguous definition of uptake without the need for comparison to pre‐contrast images. We have developed a novel strategy for predicting and following the accumulation of nanoparticles within the tumor. Ferumoxytol may be used as surrogate, combined with our methodology, to predict the EPR effect of other nanoparticles for image guided drug delivery.