Photoacoustic tomography of a rat cerebral cortex in vivo with au nanocages as an optical contrast agent.
Poly(ethylene glycol)-coated Au nanocages have been evaluated as a potential near-infrared (NIR) contrast agent for photoacoustic tomography (PAT). Previously, Au nanoshells were found to be an effective NIR contrast agent for PAT; however, Au nanocages with their more compact sizes (<50 nm compared to >100 nm for Au nanoshells) and larger optical absorption cross sections should be better suited for in vivo applications. We sequentially injected Au nanocages into the circulatory system of a rat in three administrations and in vivo PAT was conducted immediately prior to the first injection and continued until 5 h after the final injection. A gradual enhancement of the optical absorption in the cerebral cortex, by up to 81%, was observed over the course of the experiment.
Yang
Xinmai
X
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Skrabalak
Sara E
SE
Li
Zhi-Yuan
ZY
Xia
Younan
Y
Wang
Lihong V
LV
D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D006046:Gold; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007834:Lasers; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011859:Radiography; D051381:Rats; D014054:Tomography / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D006046:Gold