Fig. 1.

Uptake mechanism of ferumoxtran-10.

A. Intravenously injected particles slowly extravasate from vascular space to interstitial space.

B. Particles are then transported to lymph nodes via lymphatic vessels.

C. In lymph nodes, particles are internalized by macrophages.

D. These intracellular iron-containing particles cause normal nodal tissue to have low signal intensity. Disturbances of lymph flow or nodal architecture by metastases lead to abnormal accumulation patterns, as is depicted by lack of decreased signal intensity.