Abstract

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising cure for restoring normoglycemia in diabetic patients. A noninvasive, in vivo approach that could monitor survival of islet grafts is critically needed in clinic. Here we provide a concise overview of the most recent advances in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of islet transplantation with emphasis on 1) 1H MRI tracking of transplanted islets, 2) 19F MR imaging of islet grafts, 3) theranostic agents for islet transplantation. Based on the progress in this field during the past decade, we envision new avenues for future investigation and clinical research that are emphasized in this review.

Keywords: Diabetes, Islet Transplantation, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Theranostic.