Particulate Tracer Sensors for X-ray Flow Imaging

Monitoring opaque biological fluid flows is essential to understand the biophysics of biofluids explaining dynamic life phenomenon and basic metabolic mechanisms. Quantitative information on fluid flows also enables to detect and treat the circulatory diseases related with abnormal blood/body fluid flows. In this study, to enhance the imaging efficiency in biological system, various biocompatible micro-/nano-scale tracer particles are developed as X-ray contrast-enhancing flow sensors. The size and shape of the designed flow sensors are optimized in terms of the delivery efficiency and the contrast enhancement in synchrotron X-ray imaging. The controlled physical properties are observed to significantly influence on the flow tracing ability and the contrast enhancement depending on the systems to be studied.