Magnetic Microdevices for MRI-Based Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Viruses

• Published in: IEEE open journal of engineering in medicine and biology Vol. 1; pp. 265 - 267
• Main Authors: Mair, Lamar O., Hale, Olivia, Jafari, Sahar, Chen, Cheng, Udalov, Oleg, Probst, Roland, Baum, Ittai, Hevaganinge, Anjana, Wang, Elaine Yi, Rodriguez, Olga C., Albanese, Christopher, Fricke, Stanley T., Weinberg, Irving N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01-01-2020; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Biomedical engineering; Coronavirus; COVID; Electron micrographs; Iron; Low concentrations; magnetic microdevices; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic shielding; Micromagnetics; MRI; Scanning electron microscopy; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; theranostic; Viral diseases; Viruses; Viruses (medical); COVID; coronavirus; magnetic microdevices; theranostic; MRI
• ISSN: 2644-1276; 2644-1276
• DOI: 10.1109/OJEMB.2020.3026234

Goal: To develop a micron-scale device that can operate as an MRI-based reporter for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Methods: Iron rod microdevices were constructed via template-guided synthesis and suspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 viruses were added to the samples and imaged with low-field MRI. Results: MRI of microdevices and viruses showed decreased signal intensity at low concentrations of viruses that recovered at higher concentrations. Electron micrographs suggest that reduced MRI intensity may be due to concentration-dependent shielding of water protons from local magnetic inhomogeneities caused by the iron microdevices. Conclusions: The preliminary results presented in this letter provide justification for further studies exploring the potential diagnostic role of magnetic microdevices in assessing the presence and concentration of SARS-CoV-2 viruses.