In-vitro magnetic resonance detection of a target substance without separating bound magnetic nanoparticles from unbound magnetic nanoparticles

摘要

The present invention provides an in-vitro method for detecting the presence of a target substance in a biological sample by magnetic resonance, the method comprising: a) providing a mixture comprising a biological sample and a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles, wherein the magnetic nanoparticles comprise a binding agent capable of binding the target substance when the target substance is present in the biological sample; and b) determining a T₂ relaxation time corresponding to magnetic nanoparticles that are bound to the target substance (T_2bound) in the sample; wherein T_2bound differs from the T₂ relaxation time corresponding to the magnetic nanoparticles that are not bound to the target substance (T_2free), and wherein T_2bound is determined without physically separating magnetic nanoparticles that are bound to the target substance from the magnetic nanoparticles that are not bound to the target substance.