MRI Contrast Agents: From Molecules to Particles (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)

This book describes the multiple aspects of (i) preparation of the magnetic core, (ii) the stabilization with different coatings, (iii) the physico-chemical characterization and (iv) the vectorization to obtain specific nanosystems. Several bio-applications are also presented in this book. In the early days of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), paramagnetic ions were proposed as contrast agents to enhance the diagnostic quality of MR images. Since then, academic and industrial efforts have been devoted to the development of new and more efficient molecular, supramolecular and nanoparticular systems. Old concepts and theories, like paramagnetic relaxation, were revisited and exploited, leading to new scientific tracks. With their high relaxivity payload, the superparamagnetic nanoparticles are very appealing in the context of molecular imaging but challenges are still numerous: absence of toxicity, specificity, ability to cross the biological barriers, etc.

Dr. Sophie Laurent was born in 1967. Her studies were performed at the University of Mons-Hainaut (Belgium) where she received her PhD in Chemistry in 1993. She joined then Prof R.N. Muller’s team and was involved in the development (synthesis and physicochemical characterization) of paramagnetic Gd complexes and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as contrast agents for MRI. She is currently working on the vectorization of contrast agents for molecular imaging. She is associate professor and co-author around 170 publications and more than 250 communications in international meetings.
Dr. Dimitri Stanicki did his graduate work at the University of Mons (Ph.D. degree in 2010), where he achieved the synthesis of organic compounds for the treatment of parasitic diseases. In 2011, he joined R. Muller’s research group (MRI) where he started to develop new nanosystems for molecular imaging applications. He is the co-author of approximatively 10 publications, including a patent and a chapter book in the field of superparamagnetic contrast agents.

Dr. Robert N. Muller, PhD in chemistry 1974 from the University of Mons-Hainaut where he was successively appointed Assistant, Lecturer and full Professor. Post-doctoral studies in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Paul C. Lauterbur’s (2003 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology) research group (MRI) at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1981-82 and sabbatical leave at the Center for Magnetic Resonance (CERM), Florence, Italy, in 2002-2003. He produced around 280 publications and 6 books. Currently Scientific Director of the Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging, Gosselies, Belgium.

• NMI20 MRI Contrast Agent Imager & Analyzer

NMI20 MRI Contrast Agent Imager & Analyzer is a classic MRI instrument,which has a wide range of applications in life sciences research.it integrates industrial design, analysis, and imaging in one easy to use instrument. Its performance and quality are generally recognized by domestic and foreign expert users. The system has received a numb…

• PQ001 MRI Contrast Agent Analyzer T1 T2 NMR Relaxometry

The PQ001 MRI Contrast Agent Analyzer was launched in 2008. After years of upgrade, PQ001 has many advantages such as small size, high precision, good repeatability, good stability and excellent cost/benefit performance. PQ001 has been widely used in MRI Contrast Agent Research

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Small Animal MRI by Patrick R. Gavin

The book fell apart the first time I opened it. Every time I open or turn a page more pages just fall out. Treated very gingerly and opened on table lightly, but pages are just very lightly attached; horrible binding. The content may be good, but doesn't matter; it is not useful as a functional reference on a daily or weekly basis as the pages just keep falling out. Do not spend money on this unless/until the binding issue is resolved.

Practical Small Animals MRI is the seminal reference for clinicians using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of veterinary patients. Although MRI is used most frequently in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders, it also has significant application to other body systems. This book covers normal anatomy and specific clinical conditions of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, abdomen, thorax, and head and neck. It also contains several chapters on disease of the brain and spine, including inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, and vascular diseases, alongside congenital and degenerative disorders.

“The two authors, a radiologist and a neurologist, supported by two other contributors, each have over 20 years’ experience in MRI contrast agent, and this is borne out by the huge amount of information and images presented.” (Veterinary Record, May 2010)

“A fascinating insight into the field; the text is well-written and extremely detailed…. invaluable as an introduction to principles of the physics of MRI and the challenges of producing diagnostic images without artifacts, and as a reference for use in clinical situations.” (Veterinary Practice, April 2010)

“The extensive experience of the authors combined with a comprehensive review of the literature published on small animal MRI imaging make this the most comprehensive text on this subject…. the image quality is excellent.” (VCOT, 2009)
Practical Small Animal MRI is the seminal reference for clinicians using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of veterinary patients. Although MRI is used most frequently in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders, it also has significant application to other body systems. This book covers normal anatomy and specific clinical conditions of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, abdomen, thorax, and head and neck.

Practical Small Animal MRI provides extensive coverage of the nervous system, with several chapters on diseases of the brain and spine, including inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, and vascular diseases, alongside congenital and degenerative disorders. Specific chapters also cover orthopedic conditions and other diseases of the head and neck, including nasal cavity and optic region, as well as abdominal and thoracic examinations. Introductory chapters provide basic information on the physics of magnetic resonance imaging and equipment selection. With more than 1,000 images, Practical Small Animal MRI is a must-have resource for veterinary radiologists, neurologists, surgeons, oncologists, internists, and all veterinarians using MR imaging in small animals.

First specialist reference devoted solely to the practical use of MRI
Coverage of normal anatomy and specific clinical conditions of the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, abdomen, thorax, and head and neck
Introductory chapters provide basic information on the physics of magnetic resonance imaging and equipment selection
More than 1,000 images

I purchased the book for my boyfriend as a gift. He’s an MRI tech/Vet tech for a veterinary neurology practice. He really enjoys the book and says that it is exactly what he needed. He thinks the content is well written and has helped him with MRI scanning. His only complaint is that in three months the book is falling apart. This isn’t a book that gets throw around or misused. Half of the neurology chapter has fallen out of the book along with some other pages. Considering the cost of the book this is very surprising. At this rate this book may not last a year. Not sure if it’s just his copy or if others have had the same experience. Unfortunately, because of this experience I can not recommend getting the hardcover version of this book.

Book is great - Kindle reader version is a hassle to read equations

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is currently doing breast MRI contrast agent or interesting in starting. The first several chapters are directed toward understanding the physics behind breast MR and are easy to understand even by a non-physicist. The second half of the book turns toward protocols, safety and optimizing breast MRI techniques. The book is clearly written and has changed my clinical practice. I am now performing studies that use magnet time more efficiently and with improved image quality. This book is valuable to both the beginner and the experienced breast imager. It is particularly helpful to radiologists who want to improve their breast MRI protocols. I also recommend this book to any technologist who wants to know more about breast MRI.


Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an integral component of medical imaging. Whilst new measurement techniques and applications continue to be developed nearly thirty years after the initial clinical scanners were installed the basic principles behind the measurement techniques remain as true today as then. This fifth edition of MRI Basic Principles and Applications presents the fundamental concepts of MRI in a clear and concise manner, minimizing the mathematical formalism yet providing a foundation to understand the results that are obtained with today’s clinical scanners. This book:


Accessible introductory guide from renowned teachers in the benchtop nmr field
Provides a concise yet thorough introduction for MRI focusing on fundamental physics, pulse sequences, and clinical applications without presenting advanced math
Takes a practical approach, including up-to-date protocols, and supports technical concepts with thorough explanations and illustrations
Highlights sections that are directly relevant to radiology board exams
Presents new information on the latest scan techniques and applications including 3 Tesla whole body scanners, safety issues, and the nephrotoxic effects of gadolinium-based contrast media
This is an ideal resource to help radiologists prepare for their exams and understand the underlying MR physics principles as efficiently as possible.

How do Understand MRI Pulse Sequences

I believe it will become the 'gold standard' text for people involved in MR research or applications because of its clear and concise descriptions of most aspects of MRI.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is among the most important medical imaging techniques available today. There is an installed base of approximately 15,000 MRI scanners worldwide. Each of these scanners is capable of running many different "pulse sequences", which are governed by physics and engineering principles, and implemented by software programs that control the MRI hardware. To utilize an MRI scanner to the fullest extent, a conceptual understanding of its pulse sequences is crucial. This book offers a complete guide that can help the scientists, engineers, clinicians, and technologists in the field of MRI understand and better employ their scanner.

This book is an excellent overview and reference for MRI pulse sequences. It has been recommended to me as a reference by several scientists, and anyone who works in the MRI contrast agent field should consider buying this book -- even if you are not a pulse programmer, this book will give you a much better understanding of different sequences and which one may be most appropriate for your research application. It does a good job of describing sequences in a qualitative as well as mathematical manner.

One slight problem with the book is that it is oriented towards just MRI physics, and thus if one wants to sit down at an actual scanner and try to program or implement the sequence, one might not have enough specific details about hardware-related issues (such as gradient duty cycles, RF power calibration, SAR, memory allocation, etc) to actually implement a sequence. Thus, the book is best supplemented with a review of current literature, as well as manufacturer documentation or examples of previously written pulse sequences.

I got to know this good handbook from an international conference. It was sold out in few days during the exhibition period. I strongly recommend every Bench-top NMR guy own at least one copy of it. ^__^