19F MRI for quantitative in vivo cell tracking

Cellular therapy, including stem cell transplants and dendritic cell vaccines, is typically monitored for dosage optimization, accurate delivery, and localization using noninvasive imaging, of which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a key modality. 19F MRI retains the advantages of MRI as an imaging modality, and also allows direct detection of labeled cells for unambiguous identification and quantification, unlike typical metal-based contrast agents. Recent developments in 19F MRI-based in vivo cell quantification, the existing clinical use of 19F compounds and current explosive interest in cellular therapeutics have brought 19F imaging technology closer to clinical application. We review the application of 19F MRI to cell tracking, discussing intracellular 19F labels, cell labeling and in vivo quantification, as well as the potential clinical uses of 19F MRI.