Negative Oral Contrast Agent Research Articles

The efficacy of pineapple juice as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

The efficacy of pineapple juice as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

A novel food-based negative oral contrast agent compared with two conventional oral contrast agents in abdominal CT: a three-arm parallel blinded randomised controlled single-centre trial

BackgroundA negative oral contrast agent (OCA) has been long sought for, to better delineate the bowel and visualise surrounding structures. Lumentin® 44 (L44) is a new OCA formulated to fill the entire small bowel. The aim of this study was to compare L44 with positive and neutral conventional OCA in abdominal computed tomography (CT).MethodsForty-five oncologic patients were randomised to receive either L44 or one of the two comparators (MoviPrep® or diluted Omnipaque®). Abdominal CT examinations with intravenous contrast agent were acquired according to standard protocols. The studies were read independently by two senior radiologists.ResultsThe mean intraluminal Hounsfield units (HU)-values of regions-of-interest (ROIs) for each subsegment of small bowel and treatment group were -404.0 HU for L44, 166.1 HU for Omnipaque®, and 16.7 HU for MoviPrep® (L44 versus Omnipaque, p < 0.001: L44 versus MoviPrep p < 0.001; Omnipaque versus MoviPrep, p = 0.003). Adverse events, only mild, using L44 were numerically fewer than for using conventional oral contrast agents. Visualisation of abdominal structures beyond the small bowel was similar to the comparators.ConclusionsL44 is a negative OCA with luminal radiodensity at approximately -400 HU creating a unique small bowel appearance on CT scans. The high bowel wall-to-lumen contrast may enable improved visualisation in a range of pathologic conditions. L44 showed a good safety profile and was well accepted by patients studied.Trial registrationEudraCT (2017-002368-42) and in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03326518).

Optimization of pineapple juice amount used as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

To evaluate the potential variability of Manganese (Mn2+) in commercial pineapple juice (PJ) produced in different years and to identify the optimal Mn2+ concentration in the correct amount of PJ to be administered prior to Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in order to suppress the gastroduodenal (GD) liquid signal. The Mn2+ concentration in PJ produced in different years was defined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The optimal Mn2+ concentration and the amount of PJ, were estimated in an in-vitro analysis, and were then prospectively tested in a population of patients who underwent MRCP. The results were compared with those achieved with the previous standard amount of PJ used in a similar population. The concentrations of Mn2+ in commercial PJ produced in different years did not differ. A total amount of 150 ml (one glass) of PJ having a high Mn2+ content (2.37 mg/dl) was sufficient for the suppression of the GD liquid signal, despite the additional dilution caused by GD liquids since it led to a final concentration of Mn2+ of 0.5–1.00 mg/dl. The optimized single-dose oral administration of 150 ml (approximately one glass) of PJ having a high Mn2+ concentration prior to MRCP was adequate to guarantee the correct amount of Mn2+ to suppress the GD signal.

Jasmine tea as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)

Fluids of gastrointestinal system produce a high signal in 2D T2 Half-Fourier Acquisition Single-shot Turbo Spin Echo (HASTE) thick-slab MRCP which can overlap the biliary system image. This is the first experimental study use jasmine tea as oral contrast agent and aimed to evaluate it in improving the image quality of MRCP. This study was tested by phantom and healthy volunteers. Different types of tea phantom were tested which then calculated its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value and analyzed the manganese content. 15 healthy volunteers performed 2D T2 HASTE thick-slab MRCP scanning before and after administration of jasmine tea with a variation of 3 minutes, 6 minutes and 9 minutes scanning time. Qualitative analysis was carried out by MRCP questionnaire which was examined by radiologist and quantitative analysis was conducted by measuring the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values. After jasmine tea administration, the image information was significantly different and CNR MRCP was increased compared to before giving negative oral contrast agent. The most optimal time to start scanning was 3 minutes after administration of jasmine tea with a volume of 300 ml (0.648 mg/dl manganese). Jasmine tea can be used as an alternative safe natural negative oral contrast agent and can improve MRCP image quality and reduce the intensity of gastrointestinal signals.

The efficacy of pineapple juice as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.

BackgroundDuring magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), the pancreatobiliary ducts can be obscured by the high-intensity signal from the stomach and duodenum. Pineapple juice may be an alternative to commercially available negative contrast agents, but has not been evaluated locally.ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of a local, off-the-shelf pineapple juice preparation as a negative oral contrast agent for MRCP.MethodAn observational, analytical study was conducted during January–December 2017. A 1.5 Tesla MRCP sequence was performed immediately before and after ingestion of 250 mL of a local, commercially-available pineapple juice preparation. Image evaluation was performed by two radiologists with independent, blind assessment of gastric/duodenal signal intensity and biliary /pancreatic duct visibility, before and after pineapple juice.ResultsFifty adult patients (F = 44, 88%) with median age 44 years (IQR: 34.75, 57) were included. After pineapple juice administration, there was significant measured (1661.51 vs. 1409.94, p < 0.01) and perceived (2.16 vs. 2.72, p < 0.01) duodenal signal reduction but no significant change in measured (1081.17 vs. 1044.38, p = 0.34) or perceived (2.73 vs. 2.84, p = 0.14) gastric signal intensity. Visibility of the common bile duct was significantly improved (3.67 vs. 3.86, p < 0.01), whilst that of the main pancreatic duct showed no significant change (2.92 vs. 2.86, p = 0.44).ConclusionThe local pineapple juice preparation used in this study is an effective, affordable and natural negative oral contrast agent for enhancement of MRCP images, and specifically improves visualisation of the common bile duct.

What is the best fruit juice to use as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography?

To identify, invitro, the best fruit juice to use as oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and to test, invivo, the best natural juice and the new parameters in MRCP sequences identified invitro. The invitro evaluations consisted of measuring the T2 values of a pure solution of manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) at different concentrations, measuring the content of Mn and Fe in five commercial juices and their T2 relaxation times, and identifying the optimal juice dilution for suppressing the gastrointestinal fluid signal. The new parameters of MRCP sequences were tested invivo. Manganese alone strongly influenced the shortening of the T2 values (p=0.004). The T2 value with an echo time (TE) of ≥1,000 ms enabled sufficient intestinal fluid suppression in the case of high juice dilution. A flip angle of 90° maximised the differences between the high signal from static fluids, such as the bile and the fluid in the gastrointestinal tract, using fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (FIESTA) sequences (p<0.001). The shortening of the T2 relaxation time depended only on the Mn concentration. All the commercial juices had an Mn concentration sufficient to suppress the gastrointestinal fluid signal using long TE sequences. The oral ingestion of commercial juice before MRCP was enough to suppress the signal from the gastrointestinal fluids, regardless of its dilution after ingestion. When using FIESTA sequences, a flip angle of 90° allowed the best suppression of gastrointestinal fluid signals.

Unusual gastric tumors and tumor-like lesions: Radiological with pathological correlation and literature review.

Although gastric tumors have overlapping radiologic appearances, some unusual tumors may present specific imaging features. Using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), with water as a negative oral contrast agent and intravenous contrast medium, can provide critical information for the diagnosis of gastric diseases. In addition, MDCT can evaluate the involvement of the gastric wall and extragastric extent of the disease, as compared with gastroenteroscopy and double-contrast upper gastrointestinal study. Regarding lesion location and size, enhancing and growth patterns, presence of calcification or fat, and involvement of the gastric wall and adjacent structures, CT may provide useful information. In this review article, we review the relevant literature and discuss the CT features and the histopathologic findings of different types of gastric lesions. The lesions are divided into benign (glomus tumors, schwannomas, leiomyomas, and lipomas), malignant (gastrointestinal stromal tumors, mucinous carcinomas, lymphomas, and carcinoid tumors), and tumor-like lesions (ectopic pancreas and bezoar). Familiarity with imaging appearances and pathologic findings can help physicians make an accurate diagnosis.

The effects of hypotonic and isotonic negative contrast agent on gastrointestinal distention and physiological intake of 18F-FDG.

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of hypotonic and isotonic oral mannitol on intestinal distention and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) intake in PET/computed tomography (CT) imaging. A total of 124 patients without gastrointestinal disease were evaluated with PET/CT imaging and divided into four groups using a random number table. Group 1 drank plain water, group 2 drank 2.5% mannitol, group 3 drank 2.5% mannitol and also received 10 mg of scopolamine butylbromide, and group 4 drank 2.5% mannitol and also received 20 mg of scopolamine butylbromide. The patients in each group underwent PET/CT imaging 50 min after (18)F-FDG injection. In these groups, differences such as age, sex, disease distribution, oral liquid amount, and adverse reactions were compared. Gastrointestinal distention and F-FDG intake were analyzed by two experts in nuclear medicine by visual observation. Data were statistically analyzed using a rank-sum test, R×C contingency table, one-way analysis of variance, and a paired t-test. There were no significant differences in blood glucose levels after oral administration of 2.5% mannitol (t=0.62, P>0.05). Gastrointestinal distention of patients in groups 2, 3, and 4 was superior to that of patients in group 1 (P<0.05/6). In addition to the sigmoid colon and rectum, (18)F-FDG intake in each part of the gastrointestinal tract in groups 2, 3, and 4 was less than that in group 1 (P<0.05/6). Patients in group 4 experienced significantly more adverse reactions compared with patients in the other groups (P<0.05). Oral negative contrast agent and hypotonic bowel preparation decreased the physiological intake of (18)F-FDG, increased the distention of the gastrointestinal tract, and thus improved the image quality.

Comparative Study of Pineapple Juice as a Negative Oral Contrast Agent in Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography

The aim of this study was to compare the image quality of magnetic resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) using Pineapple Juice (PJ) or ranitidine as negative oral contrast agents and no agent. MRCP images of patients administered PJ (n = 117) or Ranitidine (n = 110) at random, and patients without an agent (n = 50) were evaluated. The subjective image quality of the overall, extra hepatic bile duct and pancreatic duct and the degree of elimination of gastrointestinal fluid were scored by two blinded radiologists. RESULTS were compared using Mann-Whitney's U-test. The degrees of elimination of gastro duodenal fluid of PJ and ranitidine were significantly better than those without an agent (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). The subjective image quality of PJ of the overall and extra hepatic bile duct were significantly better, although no significant differences for ranitidine were observed compared with those without an agent (p < 0.01 and p =0.23, p = 0.025 and p = 0.18). There were no significant differences for the pancreatic duct (p = 0.13 and p = 0.20), nor were there any significant differences in the evaluations between PJ and ranitidine (p = 0.21 and p = 0.96). PJ showed better performance compared to that of conventional ranitidine in terms of pancreatic and biliary depiction and safety.

Evaluation of date syrup as an oral negative contrast agent for MRCP.

The purpose of this study was to compare the in vitro effects of date syrup with those of other contrast agents by qualitative and quantitative analysis and in vivo evaluation of the use of date syrup to improve the quality of MRCP images. Phantoms containing date syrup, ferumoxsil, pineapple juice, and water were imaged by 1.5-T MRI with T2-weighted and MRCP sequences, and signal-to-noise ratios were calculated. Biochemical analysis of date syrup was performed to find the nature of iron in it, and the iron content was quantified by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Sixty patients underwent MRCP before and 30 minutes after ingestion of 100 mL of date syrup. Unenhanced and contrast-enhanced images were scored for gastrointestinal tract signal suppression and visualization of various pancreaticobiliary structures. In vitro evaluation showed that images obtained with date syrup had a signal-to-noise ratio comparable to that of images obtained with ferumoxsil in T2-weighted and MRCP sequences. The iron concentration in date syrup was 2.6 mg/dL, and it was in ferric form. Images obtained after oral contrast administration had statistically significant improvement in gastrointestinal tract signal suppression (p < 0.001) and an increase in visibility of the common bile duct, cystic duct, and pancreatic duct (all p < 0.001). No adverse effects were noted in any of the patients. Date syrup can be used as a negative oral contrast agent for gastrointestinal tract signal suppression during MRCP and for improving visualization of various pancreaticobiliary structures.

The effective use of acai juice, blueberry juice and pineapple juice as negative contrast agents for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in children

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is commonly performed in the evaluation of known or suspected pancreaticobiliary disease in children. The administration of a negative oral contrast agent can improve the quality of the examination without significant additional cost. We describe our experience with certain brands of acai juice, blueberry juice and pineapple juice as negative oral contrast agents in children. We believe these fruit juices are safe, palatable and may improve MRCP image quality.

Use of positive oral contrast agents in abdominopelvic computed tomography for blunt abdominal injury: meta-analysis and systematic review

To determine whether positive oral contrast agents improve accuracy of abdominopelvic CT compared with no, neutral or negative oral contrast agent. Literature was searched for studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of abdominopelvic CT with positive oral contrast agents against imaging with no, neutral or negative oral contrast agent. Meta-analysis reviewed studies correlating CT findings of blunt abdominal injury with positive and without oral contrast agents against surgical, autopsy or clinical outcome allowing derivation of pooled sensitivity and specificity. Systematic review was performed on studies with common design and reference standard. Thirty-two studies were divided into two groups. Group 1 comprised 15 studies comparing CT with positive and without oral contrast agents. Meta-analysis of five studies from group 1 provided no difference in sensitivity or specificity between CT with positive or without oral contrast agents. Group 2 comprised 17 studies comparing CT with positive and neutral or negative oral contrast agents. Systematic review of 12 studies from group 2 indicated that neutral or negative oral contrasts were as effective as positive oral contrast agents for bowel visualisation. There is no difference in accuracy between CT performed with positive oral contrast agents or with no, neutral or negative oral contrast agent. • There is no difference in the accuracy of CT with or without oral contrast agent. • There is no difference in the accuracy of CT with Gastrografin or water. • Omission of oral contrast, utilising neutral or negative oral contrast agent saves time, costs and decreases risk of aspiration.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm penetrating to the stomach, duodenum, and jejunum demonstrated on MR cholangiopancreatography with an oral negative contrast agent

A 65-year-old man was referred to our hospital due to epigastric pain. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography (CT) demonstrated marked dilatation of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) and communication to the gastric and duodenal lumen was suspected. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed a villous tumor with white mucous discharge in the posterior wall of the gastric corpus and duodenal bulb. Pathological specimens showed mucin-producing epithelium with nuclear atypia that had developed in a papillary form. Based on these findings, we diagnosed intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) arising in the MPD with penetration into the gastric and duodenal lumen. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with an oral negative contrast agent (manganese chloride tetrahydrate) showed a fistulous tract not only to the stomach and duodenum, but also to the jejunum. MRCP demonstrated mucous streaming with remarkably high intensity. In this case, an oral negative contrast agent was useful to distinguish mucous discharge from gastric fluid, facilitating the diagnosis of penetration to the jejunum. This finding was unobtainable by CT or EGD. When IPMN penetrating to other organs is suspected, MRCP with an oral negative contrast agent may provide important information.

Improvement of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) images after black tea consumption

Evaluation of the efficacy of black tea as the negative oral contrast agent in MRCP. MRCP was performed before and 5 and 15 min after tea consumption for 35 patients. Depiction of the gall bladder (GB), cystic duct (CD), proximal and distal parts of the common bile duct (CBD), intrahepatic ducts (IHD), ampulla of vater (AV), main pancreatic duct (MPD) and signal loss of stomach and three different segments of the duodenum were investigated according to VAS and Likert scores. Twenty-one of the patients (60%) were female (mean age, 50.3 ± 19.2 years). Regarding visibility of different anatomical parts of the pancreatobiliary tree, the post procedure images were better visualized in the distal part of CBD, AV and MPD in Likert and VAS scoring (all P ≤ 0.001). Regarding obliteration of high signal in the stomach and three different parts of the duodenum, all post procedure images showed significant disappearance of high signal in Likert and VAS scoring systems (all Ps ≤ 0.001). Black tea is a simple and safe negative oral contrast agent which reduces the signal intensity of gastrointestinal tract fluid and provides improved depiction of the MPD, the distal CBD and the ampulla during MRCP. Key Points •Tea is an effective negative oral contrast agent for gastrointestinal MRI •Ingestion of black tea improves conspicuity of the distal CBD in MRCP.

Use of pineapple juice with gadopentetate dimeglumine as a negative oral contrast for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: a multicentric study

We evaluated the efficacy of pineapple juice with gadopentetate dimeglumine as a negative oral contrast agent for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Images were obtained before and after the intake of a negative oral contrast agent. Images obtained from six different areas of the biliary tree were analyzed by three different radiologists, who were blind to the exams; scores regarding image quality were given to each area. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between images before and after the use of the contrast agent (P < 0.001) for the three radiologists (R1-R3). Mean scores given by radiologists before the intake of the contrast agent were 2.49 ± 0.42 (R1), 2.62 ± 0.32 (R2), and 2.22 ± 0.46 (R3). After the intake, mean scores were 3.38 ± 0.62 (R1), 3.48 ± 0.55 (R2), and 2.89 ± 0.69 (R3). The ducts that showed the highest scores were the common bile duct and duct of Wirsung, the distal portion of the common bile duct and the cystic duct. We suggest herein that the contrast agent pineapple juice with gadopentate dimeglumine constitutes an efficient negative oral contrast agent for MRCP, for it efficiently eliminates the signal of the digestive tube in MRCP images.

CT Enterography: Principles, Trends, and Interpretation of Findings

Computed tomographic (CT) enterography is an emerging alternative to traditional fluoroscopy for the assessment of disorders of the small bowel. The greatly improved spatial and temporal resolution provided by multidetector CT scanners, combined with good luminal distention provided by negative oral contrast agents and with good bowel wall visualization, have made CT enterography the main imaging modality not only for investigating proved or suspected inflammatory bowel disease but also for detecting occult gastrointestinal tract bleeding, small bowel neoplasms, and mesenteric ischemia. CT enterography is particularly useful for differentiating between active and fibrotic bowel strictures in patients with Crohn disease, thus enabling selection of the most appropriate treatment (medical management or intervention) for an improved outcome. CT enterography allows excellent visualization of the entire thickness of the bowel wall and depicts extraenteric involvement as well, providing more detailed and comprehensive information about the extent and severity of the disease process.

Prospective comparative study of negative oral contrast agents for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

The aim of this study was to compare prospectively the image quality of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) using manganese chloride tetrahydrate (Bothdel Oral Solution 10) (MCT), a new negative oral contrast agent; ferric ammonium citrate (FerriSeltz powder 20%) (FAC); and no agent. MRCP images (TE 970 ms) of patients administered MCT (n = 19) or FAC (n = 20) at random, and 18 patients without an agent were evaluated. The subjective image quality of the overall, extrahepatic bile duct, and pancreatic duct and the degree of elimination of gastrointestinal fluid scored by two radiologists blinded to information regarding the agent were compared using Mann-Whitney's U-test. The degrees of elimination of gastroduodenal fluid of MCT and FAC were significantly better than those without an agent (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01). The subjective image quality of MCT of the overall and extrahepatic bile duct were significantly better, although no significant differences for FAC were observed compared with those without an agent (P < 0.01 and P = 0.21, P = 0.02 and P = 0.16). There were no significant differences for the pancreatic duct (P = 0.12 and P = 0.19), nor were there any significant differences in the evaluations between MCT and FAC (P = 0.19-0.98). MCT has shown performance comparable to that of conventional FAC in terms of pancreatic and biliary depiction and safety.

Defining juxtapapillary diverticulum with 3D segmented trueFISP MRCP: comparison with conventional MRCP sequences with an oral negative contrast agent

To compare three-dimensional segmented true fast imaging with steady-state precession magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (3D-trueFISP-MRCP) to conventional MRCP sequences with an oral negative contrast agent for diagnosing juxtapapillary diverticulum. A total of 42 patients with (n = 21) and without (n = 21) juxtapapillary diverticulum confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) were evaluated. Three MRCP sequences, 3D-trueFISP-MRCP, two-dimensional rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement MRCP (2D-RARE-MRCP), and 3D T(2)-weighted turbo spin-echo MRCP (3D-TSE-MRCP), obtained after administering an oral negative contrast agent (FerriSeltz; Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan) were compared. Two radiologists independently and blindly interpreted the presence or absence of juxtapapillary diverticulum and its positional relationship against the papilla. The detectability of juxtapapillary diverticulum of each sequence as decided by consensus was then compared. Kappa statistics were used to measure interobserver agreement of the classifications. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting juxtapapillary diverticulum of 3D-trueFISPMRCP (61.9%, 85.7%, and 73.8%) were substantively higher than those of 2D-RARE-MRCP (0.0%, 100%, and 50.0%) and 3D-TSE-MRCP (9.5%, 100%, and 54.8%). Interobserver agreement of the position of juxtapapillary diverticulum by 3D-trueFISP-MRCP was good (kappa = 0.55). 3D-trueFISP-MRCP can define juxtapapillary diverticulum even with an oral negative contrast agent, whereas conventional MRCP sequences cannot.

Clinical Feasibility of Açai (Euterpe olerácea) Pulp as an Oral Contrast Agent for Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography

We evaluate the effectiveness of the Amazonian fruit pulp from Euterpe olerácea (popularly named Açaí) as a negative oral contrast agent applied to clinical routine. The use of such contrasts is particularly important in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) to reduce overlapping. We administered Açaí pulp to 5 nonsymptomatic subjects and 35 patients submitted to unspecific abdominal MR imaging, intending to set up optimal protocol. In 8 MRCP examinations, contrast and image effects were assessed and graded blindly by 2 independent radiologists. Quantitative analysis was performed by Wilcoxon test as to verify the potential of the Açaí to eliminate overlap signal over the pancreaticobiliary tract. Adverse effects and subject tolerance were also addressed. The Açaí pulp elicited a local brightness decrease in T2-weighted images. The depiction of gallbladder, common bile duct, ampulla of Vater, and pancreatic duct was markedly improved after Açaí ingestion because of the suppression of the overlapping from bowel loops and gastric content (P < 0.01). All patients considered Açaí palatable, and no side effect was registered. The Açaí pulp can be used routinely in MRCP studies as a natural, safe, and inexpensive negative oral contrast agent with high efficacy and patient acceptance.

Superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles from solid-state synthesis – Their functionalization towards peroral MRI contrast agent and magnetic carrier for trypsin immobilization

Nearly monodispersed superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles (15–20 nm) were prepared by a one-step thermal decomposition of iron(II) acetate in air at 400 °C. The presented synthetic route is simple, cost effective and allows to prepare the high-quality superparamagnetic particles in a large scale. The as-prepared particles were exploited for the development of magnetic nanocomposites with the possible applicability in medicine and biochemistry. For the purposes of the MRI diagnostics, the maghemite particles were simply dispersed in the bentonite matrix. The resulting nanocomposite represents very effective and cheap oral negative contrast agent for MRI of the gastrointestinal tract and reveals excellent contrast properties, fully comparable with those obtained for commercial contrast material. The results of the clinical research of this maghemite–bentonite contrast agent for imaging of the small bowel are discussed. For biochemical applications, the primary functionalization of the prepared maghemite nanoparticles with chitosan was performed. In this way, a highly efficient magnetic carrier for protein immobilization was obtained as demonstrated by conjugating thermostable raffinose-modified trypsin (RMT) using glutaraldehyde. The covalent conjugation resulted in a further increase in trypsin thermostability ( T 50 = 61 °C) and elimination of its autolysis. Consequently, the immobilization of RMT allowed fast in-solution digestion of proteins and their identification by MALDI–TOF mass spectrometry.