Table 2 The clinical trials of main magnetic nanoparticles in the molecular imaging of metastatic lymph nodes

Sienna+

Peritumoral

Colorectal

Ex vivo confirming the nodal staging quantitatively and accurately

[13]

SPION

Subcutaneous

Breast

SPION is found predominantly surrounding the metastases, but not in metastatic areas

[40]

SPION

Peritumoral

Penile

Providing a radiation-free technique for SLN identification

[41]

SPION

Peritumoral

Esophageal

Determining the need for three-field lymphadenectomy with neck dissection

[42]

SPION

Intradermal

Breast

Diagnosis of metastatic sentinel nodes localized by CT scanning

[43]

SPION

Intradermal

Breast

A good correlation between SPION-MRI imaging and pathologic size

[44]

Sienna+

Penile

Good concordance between Sienna + and radioisotope-guided SLN mapping

[49]

USPIO

Rectal

Displaying higher diagnostic specificity when compared with pathologically examination

[53]

USPIO

Intravenous

Bladder/prostate

Could guide the surgical removal of suspicious LNs

[58]

USPIO

Intravenous

Rectal/prostate

Evidently improving the detection rates of LNMs smaller than 5 mm

[61]

USPIO

Intravenous

Oesophageal

Accurately identifying the distant and regional LNMs

[65]

USPIO

Intravenous

Oesophageal

More feasible and superior for LNM visualization than routine breath-hold MRI

[66]

Ferumoxtran-10

Intravenous

Gastric

Indicating a sensitivity of 100% with a specificity of 92.6% for nodal staging

[72]

Ferumoxtran-10

Intravenous

Gastric

Demonstrating the higher positive predictive value and accuracy for LNMs

[73]

USPIO-DW-MRI

Intravenous

Bladder/prostate

Rapidly detecting the small LNMs preoperatively

[80]