Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Could Change How We Stage Breast Cancer

# Beyond the Scan — Episode 12 ### Tuesday, February 24, 2026

---

Hey there, welcome to Beyond the Scan! I'm Jackie, your host, and I'm so glad you're joining me today, Tuesday, February 24th, 2026.

Quick shoutout to our sponsor RadiologyJobs.com — they're doing amazing work connecting imaging professionals with great opportunities nationwide.

I've got some really exciting stories to share with you today!

---

## STORY 1 — MagSense FDA IND Application

Okay, so let's start with something that genuinely stopped me in my tracks this week. <break time="0.8s" /> What if, instead of waiting to see whether breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes through surgery or biopsy, you could *see* it — directly — on an MRI scan? Like, actually visualize the metastasis at a molecular level?

That's the promise behind a technology called MagSense, developed by a company called Imagion Biosystems. And here's the big news — they've just submitted what's called an IND application — an Investigational New Drug application — to the FDA. That's the formal step a company takes to get permission to begin human clinical trials in the United States.

So what *is* MagSense exactly? It's a targeted imaging agent — basically a contrast material with a very specific job. It uses tiny particles made of iron oxide — we're talking *nano*-scale particles — that are designed to seek out and attach to cancer cells in the lymph nodes of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2-positive is a specific subtype of breast cancer, and it tends to be aggressive, so catching whether it's spread to the nodes is really critical for treatment decisions.

What makes this different from standard MRI contrast is the *targeting*. This isn't a blanket contrast agent that lights up everything — it's engineered to home in on specific cancer biology. That's what we mean when we hear the phrase "molecular imaging" — imaging that works at the level of molecules and cellular markers, not just anatomy.

And the timeline here is moving fast. Imagion Biosystems anticipates that Phase 2 trial enrollment could begin as early as Q1 of 2026 — which, I mean, we're *in* Q1 right now. So this is happening.

My take? <break time="0.7s" /> I think this is exactly the kind of innovation that could reshape how we stage breast cancer. For technologists and radiologists who work in oncologic imaging, this is worth watching closely. The idea that an MRI scan could replace or supplement more invasive nodal staging procedures — that has real implications for patients and for how we practice.

---

## STORY 2 — 5 Things to Watch in 2026

Alright, now let's zoom out a little — because I love a good "big picture" story, and *Radiology Today* just published one that I think every person in this field should read.

Their piece, "5 Things to Watch in 2026," lays out the major forces shaping radiology right now, and a few of them really jumped out at me.

First — cardiac imaging is having a *moment*. CMS, which is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — basically the largest payer in the country — has increased reimbursement for outpatient CT angiography. That's a CT scan that looks at the blood vessels of the heart. When reimbursement goes up, utilization typically follows, which means more volume, more staffing needs, more career opportunities in cardiac imaging. If you're a tech or a radiologist thinking about where to specialize — this is worth paying attention to.

Second — MRI machines themselves are being reengineered with faster protocols. <break time="0.6s" /> Faster MRI means more patients can be scanned in a day, which means better access — especially in underserved communities where MRI wait times can stretch for weeks. That's not just a business win, that's a patient care win.

And third — AI-assisted workflow tools. Now, we've talked about AI a lot on this show, but what caught my eye here is the *specific* application: tools that summarize data and help create radiologist impressions. Not replacing the radiologist — but handling some of the cognitive load so the radiologist can focus on the hard calls. The article also notes that RSNA 2025 put a real emphasis on precision medicine and opportunistic screening — using scans that are already being done to pick up findings we weren't originally looking for.

I think the throughline here is access and efficiency. The field is trying to do *more* — see more patients, catch more disease, deliver more value — without burning people out. And honestly? That's a conversation I think every department needs to be having right now.

---

## STORY 3 — Real-Time Dosimetry in Interventional Radiology

Speaking of conversations every department needs to have — here's one that doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves: radiation dose in interventional radiology.

There's a new exhibit making the rounds through RSNA — the Radiological Society of North America — and it's focused on something called real-time dosimetry. <break time="0.8s" /> Let me break that down. Dosimetry is the measurement and monitoring of radiation dose. And "real-time" means you're seeing that information *as the procedure is happening* — not after the fact, not estimated, but live.

The exhibit specifically looks at scatter radiation — that's the radiation that bounces off the patient and spreads into the room — during lower extremity and abdominal procedures in interventional radiology. And the key finding is that real-time dose monitoring is identified as essential to truly understanding the radiation burden across different parts of the body.

Now, why does this matter? Interventional radiology involves some of the longest fluoroscopy times in the hospital — procedures where the X-ray beam is on for extended periods. The dose to patients *and* to the staff in the room is a genuine occupational and patient safety issue. And yet, a lot of departments are still relying on estimates and post-procedure calculations.

The idea that we could have real-time visibility into dose — for the patient on the table and for the tech or physician standing next to them — that's a meaningful step forward for radiation safety culture.

I'll be honest, this one is close to my heart. <break time="0.7s" /> Radiation protection doesn't always feel urgent until it does. And tools that make the invisible visible — that give us real data in the moment — those are the kinds of tools that actually change behavior.

---

## CLOSING

Well, that's all we have for today's episode of Beyond the Scan. I've really enjoyed sharing these developments with you.

From a molecular MRI agent targeting breast cancer at the lymph node level, to the big trends reshaping our field in 2026, to real-time radiation dose monitoring in the IR suite — there is so much happening, and I genuinely believe we're in one of the most exciting chapters radiology has ever seen.

If you found today's discussion helpful, I'd love it if you'd subscribe and share with your colleagues. And hey, swing by our website at beyondthescan.io where we've got some great additional resources on these topics.

I'll be back next week with more exciting updates. This is Jackie signing off, and remember — what we do really does make a difference in people's lives every day. Take care!

---

*Episode 12 | Beyond the Scan | Presented by RadiologyJobs.com* *Approximate runtime: ~6.5 minutes at natural speaking pace*