Abstract
Bacteria play a two part role in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Pathogenic bacteria are an increasingly important biomedical imaging target as cases of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and hospital infection increase. However, certain bacteria have characteristics that make them ideal for use as diagnostic and theranostic MRI contrast agents. This chapter will review the roles bacteria play in contrast-enhanced MRI. First, targeted imaging strategies of bacteria are discussed (molecular and nanomaterial) followed by the ways in which bacteria and bacterial components have been used as contrast and theranostic agents. We would like to point out that this area of MRI probes is rather embryonic and the number of reports in the literature limited.
