Bimodal Fluorescence and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Water-Soluble Hexagonal NaYF4 : Ce,Tb,Gd Nanocrystals

الملخص EN

The present study explored the feasibility of using hexagonal-phase NaYF4:Ce,Tb,Gd nanocrystals as bimodal probes for fluorescence and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Using a facile and user-friendly strategy, the NaYF4:Ce,Tb,Gd nanocrystals were synthesized with good water dispensability, high quantum yield (26%), and decent MR T1 relaxivity (r1=2.87 mM−1 s−1).

The NaYF4:Ce,Tb,Gd NCs conjugated by folic acid presented great efficiency in fluorescence imaging of C6 glioma cells in vitro.

Meanwhile, in in vivo MR experiments on rats, the NaYF4:Ce,Tb,Gd NCs also significantly increased T1 signal in the liver, spleen, and kidney even with a low probe dose.

The proposed NaYF4:Ce,Tb,Gd nanoprobes hold promise for simultaneous bimodal fluorescence and MR bioimaging.