Curcumin Coated Ultra-Small Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as T1 Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cancer Cells

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Background: The application of nanotechnology in the molecular diagnosis and treatment of cancer is essential.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the influence of curcumin-coated ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) as a T1 contrast agent in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). .Material and Methods: In this experimental study, the influence of curcumin-coated USPIO (Fe3O4@C) on the diagnosis of the cancer cell line was investigated. After synthesis, characterization, and relaxation of Fe3O4@C, the contrast changes in T1-weight MRI to mouse colon carcinoma 26 cell line were evaluated in vitro.Results: Fe3O4@C nanoparticles (NPs) are good at imaging; based on a relaxometry test, the r1 and r2 relaxivities of Dotarem were 3.139 and 0.603 mM−1s−1, respectively. Additionally, the r1 and r2 relaxivities of Fe3O4@C were 3.792 and 1.3 mM−1s−1, respectively, with the rate of 2.155 of r2/r1 NPs. Conclusion: The NPs can be identified as a positive contrast agent with a weight of T1 in MRI. The coresh-ell Fe3O4@C NPs can be effective in cancer treatment and diagnosis because of the therapeutic effects of curcumin and the properties of USPIO.