Construction of a New Lanthanide-Based Nanomaterial as Multifunctional Bio-Probes for in Vivo Imaging

Bioimaging has promising prospects for clinical diagnosis. However, single-modal bioimaging can not satisfy the high demands of diagnostic information. Herein, we constructed a novel lanthanide-based bio-probe Sr₂NdF₇: Er³⁺/Tm³⁺ (abbreviated as SNF) for dual-modal imaging diagnosis. The obtained SNF exhibited a small size of ~ 24 nm, intense upconverted luminescence (UCL), excellent X-ray absorption capability and superior biocompatibility. Importantly, SNF could successfully realize UCL and CT imaging in vivo/vitro. Notably, SNF didn't accumulate in the body for a long time and could be completely metabolized out from the body, which possessed the high safety of in vivo application. Collectively, SNF has promising potential in application for non-invasive diagnostic imaging. This work facilitates the translation of lanthanide-based materials in clinical applications.