For bone tissue engineering, human Adipose Derived Stem Cells (hADSCs) are proposed to be associated with a scaffold for promoting bone regeneration. After implantation, cellularised scaffolds require a non-invasive method for monitoring their fatein vivo. The purpose of this study was to use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based tracking of these cells, labelled with magnetic agents forin vivolongitudinal assessment. hADSCs were isolated from adipose tissue and labelled with USPIO-rhodamine (Ultrasmall SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide). USPIO internalisation, absence of toxicity towards hADSCs, and osteogenic differentiation of the labelled cells were evaluated in standard culture conditions. Labelled cells were then seeded within a 3D porous polysaccharide-based scaffold and imagedin vitrousing fluorescence microscopy and MRI. Cellularised scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously in nude mice and MRI analyses were performed from 1 to 28 d after implantation.In vitro, no effect of USPIO labelling on cell viability and osteogenic differentiation was found. USPIO were efficiently internalised by hADSCs and generated a high T2* contrast.In vivoMRI revealed that hADSCs remain detectable until 28 d after implantation and could migrate from the scaffold and colonise the area around it. These data suggested that this scaffold might behave as a cell carrier capable of both holding a cell fraction and delivering cells to the site of implantation. In addition, the present findings evidenced that MRI is a reliable technique to validate cell-seeding procedures in 3D porous scaffolds, and to assess the fate of hADSCs transplantedin vivo.