Fluorinated Polyurethane Scaffolds for 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Researchers used fluorinated polyurethane scaffolds for 19F magnetic resonance imaging. They generated a novel fluorinated polymer based on thermoplastic polyurethane (19F -TPU) which possesses distinct properties rendering it suitable for fluorine-based MRI. The 19F -TPU is synthesized from a perfluorinated aromatic diisocyanate and butanediol. After polymerization, the polyurethane is N-alkylated to obtain a noncrystalline material with partially fluorinated alkyl side chains. To provide proof-of-principle for the usefulness of 19F -TPU for developing MRI-detectable scaffold materials, it was processed into monofilaments via melt spinning