Carbon nanotubes for biomedical imaging: the recent advances

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), including single-walled (SWNTs) and multi-walled (MWNTs), are increasingly explored for biomedical applications.
• Their unique optical, electronic, and physical properties make them suitable for advanced diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the latest advancements in using CNTs as multifunctional nano-probes for biomedical imaging.
• To highlight the potential of CNTs in various imaging modalities for enhanced diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Review of studies utilizing SWNTs for near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging.
• Exploration of Raman imaging based on SWNT resonance Raman scattering.
• Investigation of CNTs for photoacoustic imaging, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and nuclear imaging.

Main Results:

• SWNTs offer enhanced tissue penetration and spatial resolution in NIR-II fluorescence imaging.
• CNTs demonstrate strong absorbance for photoacoustic imaging, with signal enhancement strategies.
• CNTs function as T2-contrast agents in MR imaging and can be used for nuclear imaging when functionalized.

Conclusions:

• CNTs are unique, multifunctional nano-probes with significant potential in multimodal biomedical imaging.
• Their diverse properties allow for integration into various imaging techniques, improving diagnostic capabilities.