title: Integrating Anatomic and Functional Dual-Mode Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Design and Applicability of a Bifunctional Contrast Agent.
abstract: In recent decades, extensive attention has been paid to developing anatomic and functional imaging contrast agents that could provide a wealth of complementary bioimaging information. Among them, dual-mode nanoprobes that combine anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with functional fluorescent imaging have been mostly used for separated imaging. However, the lack of a machine for simultaneous dual-mode imaging greatly limits further clinical application. One effective strategy is to rationally design MRI contrast agents that own both anatomic and functional MR imaging capability on a single MRI machine, which is highly attractive but remains a great challenge. Herein, ultrasmall NaGdF4@PLL nanodots (NDs) were developed as a novel class of MR contrast agent, which offers a high longitude relaxivity (6.42 mM(-1) s(-1)) for T1-weighted MRI and an excellent sensitive chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effect for pH mapping (at +3.7 ppm). Further in vivo animal experiments show the feasibility of NaGdF4@PLL NDs as contrast agents for efficient kidney and brain tumor diagnosis and pH mapping, which will undoubtedly enhance the diagnosis accuracy and is beneficial for disease precaution and prognosis. Different from other complex dual-mode nanoprobes, the as-constructed NaGdF4@PLL NDs enable both anatomic and functional imaging on a single MR machine, which is a simple and cost-effective new approach to realize dual-mode MR imaging and holds great potential for future clinical application.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Dalong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou 515065, China.
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Jiawen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou 515065, China.
authors.forename: Renhua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Jianan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College , Shantou 515065, China.
authors.forename: Meizhi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Zhenwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.|Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University , Shanghai 200062, China.
authors.forename: Wenbo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050, China.
authors.forename: Jianlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000737:chemistry; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011107:Polylysine; D005682:Gadolinium; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: CEST; MRI; contrast agents; glioblastoma; pH probe