Single-Irradiation Simultaneous Dual-Modal Bioimaging Using Nanostructure Scintillators as Single Contrast Agent

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Growing demand for advanced clinical diagnosis tools drives research in multimodal bioimaging.
• Multimodal imaging offers superior functional and structural information compared to single-modal approaches, addressing sensitivity, depth, and cost limitations.
• Current step-by-step multimodal imaging procedures hinder practical clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simplified, single-radiation-source approach for simultaneous dual-modal bioimaging.
• To utilize lanthanide-based nanostructures as a single contrast agent for both computed tomography (CT) and optical imaging.
• To demonstrate the efficacy of this integrated approach for preclinical tumor imaging.

Main Methods:

• Employed X-rays as a single, highly penetrating radiation source.
• Utilized lanthanide-based nanostructure scintillators as a universal contrast agent.
• Achieved simultaneous computed tomography (CT) and optical dual-modal imaging from a single irradiation event.

Main Results:

• Successfully integrated CT and optical imaging modalities using a single contrast agent and radiation source.
• Demonstrated clear visualization of tumor function and structure in a mouse model.
• Achieved high sensitivity and deep penetration imaging capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The proposed strategy offers a simple and effective method for simultaneous multimodal bioimaging.
• This approach holds significant promise for molecular disease imaging and preclinical applications.
• The use of lanthanide nanoscintillators provides a versatile platform for integrated imaging modalities.