Multifunctional nanoprobes for upconversion fluorescence, MR and CT trimodal imaging

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Multimodal imaging offers superior resolution and sensitivity for 3D tissue and cell analysis.
• Integrating fluorescence, CT, and MR imaging into a single nanoscale probe (<50 nm) presents significant technical challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel trimodal imaging nanoprobe.
• To optimize the nanoprobe structure for simultaneous fluorescence, CT, and MR imaging.
• To evaluate the potential of the trimodal nanoprobe for in vitro and in vivo cancer imaging.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of PEGylated NaY/GdF(4): Yb, Er, Tm @SiO(2)-Au@PEG(5000) nanoparticles with uniform size (<50 nm).
• Characterization of the nanoprobe's imaging capabilities across fluorescence, CT, and MR modalities.
• Optimization of the core-shell nanoparticle distance for enhanced signal output.
• In vitro and in vivo studies to assess the probe's efficacy in detecting cancerous cells and lesions.

Main Results:

• The developed nanoprobe exhibits strong visible-to-near-infrared fluorescence emissions.
• The probe functions as a T1-weighted MRI contrast agent by shortening T1 relaxation time.
• The nanoprobe enhances HU values, serving as an effective CT contrast agent.
• Structural optimization significantly influenced the trimodal imaging performance.

Conclusions:

• A sub-50 nm trimodal imaging nanoprobe integrating fluorescence, CT, and MR has been successfully developed.
• The optimized nanoprobe demonstrates potential for high-resolution, high-sensitivity imaging of cancerous cells and lesions.
• This technology advances early cancer diagnosis through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo imaging capabilities.