title: Targeted Fe-filled carbon nanotube as a multifunctional contrast agent for thermoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging of tumor in living mice.
abstract: Microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) can map the microwave absorption distribution of targets, which depends on the electrical and magnetic properties. Although carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with good electrical properties have been used as TAI contrast agents, the negligible magnetic absorption hinders its application for sensitive detection. In order to exploit CNTs with electrical and magnetic absorption properties as agent of TAI, the ferromagnetic material-filled multi-walled CNTs (MMWCNTs) are investigated. In this study, the folic acid conjugated plain multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs) and MMWCNTs were injected through the tail-vein of mice separately, and TAI and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed. The results show the MMWCNTs can clearly image the size and edge of the tumor with the TAI contrast enhancement of 67% and T2 signal intensity decrease of four fifths compared to MWCNTs. This study demonstrated the hybrid particles have the potential to be a high-sensitive contrast agent for accurate tumor detection. From the Clinical Editor: Novel imaging modalities are emerging. Microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) relies on the absorption distribution of microwave of targets. In this article the authors investigate the use of ferromagnetic material-filled multi-walled CNTs as contrast agents for both TAI and MRI in an in-vivo model for tumors. The positive findings would imply that the application of dual-modality probe could provide more accurate imaging for the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wenzheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Cunguang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Carbon Research Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Center for Nano Materials and Science, State Key Lab of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Jieshan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Carbon Research Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, Center for Nano Materials and Science, State Key Lab of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Zongbin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Minjie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Sihua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: xingda@scnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008872:Microwaves; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron
keywords: Contrast agent; Fe-filled carbon nanotube; MRI; Targeted tumor imaging; Thermoacoustic molecular imaging