Magnetic characterization of human blood in the atherosclerotic process in coronary arteries

Abstract In the last decades there has been an increasing interest in biomagnetism—a field of biophysics concerned with the magnetic properties of living organisms. Biomagnetism focuses on the measurement of magnetic properties of biological samples in the clinical environment. Progress in this field can provide new data for the understanding of the pathomechanism of atherosclerosis and support the diagnostic options for the evaluation and treatment of atherothrombotic complications. Lyophilized human blood samples from patients with atherosclerotic lesions (calcium scoring (CS) CS>0) and without atherosclerotic lesions (CS=0) were magnetically investigated. Magnetic measurements (performed in room and low temperature) indicated significant magnetic differences between these two groups of patients. Atherosclerotic blood samples are characterized by higher concentration of ferrimagnetic particles (magnetite and/or maghemite) and significant changes in the superparamagnetic behaviour. This research presents that magnetometry, in combination with medical research can lead to a better understanding of iron physiology in the atherosclerotic process.