title: Large-scale synthesis of bioinert tantalum oxide nanoparticles for X-ray computed tomography imaging and bimodal image-guided sentinel lymph node mapping.
abstract: Ever since Au nanoparticles were developed as X-ray contrast agents, researchers have actively sought alternative nanoparticle-based imaging probes that are not only inexpensive but also safe for clinical use. Herein, we demonstrate that bioinert tantalum oxide nanoparticles are suitable nanoprobes for high-performance X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging while simultaneously being cost-effective and meeting the criteria as a biomedical platform. Uniformly sized tantalum oxide nanoparticles were prepared using a microemulsion method, and their surfaces were readily modified using various silane derivatives through simple in situ sol-gel reaction. The silane-modified surface enabled facile immobilization of functional moieties such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and fluorescent dye. PEG was introduced to endow the nanoparticles with biocompatibility and antifouling activity, whereas immobilized fluorescent dye molecules enabled simultaneous fluorescence imaging as well as X-ray CT imaging. The resulting nanoparticles exhibited remarkable performances in the in vivo X-ray CT angiography and bimodal image-guided lymph node mapping. We also performed an extensive study on in vivo toxicity of tantalum oxide nanoparticles, revealing that the nanoparticles did not affect normal functioning of organs.
authors.affiliation: National Creative Research Initiative Center for Oxide Nanocrystalline Materials, World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment (C₂E₂), and School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Hwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Nohyun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyoungsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Pyo
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yuanzhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Jisoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Samuel Woojoo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Woo Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Seung Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Taeghwan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hyeon
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D004655:Emulsions; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010087:Oxides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D051381:Rats; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013635:Tantalum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D010087:Oxides; D013635:Tantalum; C078151:tantalum oxide