Work

Shape-Dependent Relaxivity of Nanoparticle-Based T1 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Gold nanostars functionalized with Gd(III) have shown significant promise as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of their anisotropic, branched shape. However, the size and shape polydispersity of as-synthesized gold nanostars have precluded efforts to develop a rigorous relationship between the gold nanostar structure (e.g., number of branches) and relaxivity of surface-bound Gd(III). This paper describes the use of a centrifugal separation method that can produce structurally refined populations of gold nanostars and is compatible with Gd(III) functionalization. Combined transmission electron microscopy and relaxivity analyses revealed that the increased number of nanostar branches was correlated with enhanced relaxivity. By identifying the underlying relaxivity mechanisms for Gd(III)-functionalized gold nanostars, we can inform the design of high-performance MRI contrast agents.

Source: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b08362

Authors: Kayla S. B. Culver, Yu Jin Shin, Matthew W. Rotz, Thomas J. Meade, Mark C. Hersam, Teri W. Odom

Institution: Northwestern University

Language: English

Topic: Lanthanide and Transition Metal Complexes

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Cancer Institute, Division of Materials Research, Division of Chemistry, Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Awards: G2379832748, G3768855621, G541550329, Nanomaterials for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics, The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center