title: Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid as a carrier for imaging contrast agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the broadening field of nanomedicine poised for future molecular level therapeutics, nano- and microparticles intended for the augmentation of either single- or multimodal imaging are created with PLGA as the chief constituent and carrier.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emulsion techniques were used to encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic imaging contrast agents in PLGA particles. The imaging contrast properties of these PLGA particles were further enhanced by reducing silver onto the PLGA surface, creating a silver cage around the polymeric core.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MRI contrast agent Gd-DTPA and the exogenous dye rhodamine 6G were both encapsulated in PLGA and shown to enhance MR and fluorescence contrast, respectively. The silver nanocage built around PLGA nanoparticles exhibited strong near infrared light absorbance properties, making it a suitable contrast agent for optical imaging strategies such as photoacoustic imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The biodegradable polymer PLGA is an extremely versatile nano- and micro-carrier for several imaging contrast agents with the possibility of targeting diseased states at a molecular level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Amber L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Doiron
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Homan
authors.forename: Stanislav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emelianov
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brannon-Peppas
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004655:Emulsions; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D050997:Nanomedicine; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004655:Emulsions; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid