title: Nanosized Ultrasound Enhanced-Contrast Agent for in Vivo Tumor Imaging via Intravenous Injection.
abstract: To enhance the detection limit of ultrasound (US) imaging, ultrasound enhanced-contrast agents (UECAs) that can go preferentially to the target tissue such as a tumor and amplify the US signal have been developed. However, nanosized UECAs among various UECAs developed are very limited to clearly demonstrate proper ability for selective tumor detection by US imaging upon their intravenous injection. In this study, we prepared CaCO3 nanoparticles that were formed inside a flexible and biocompatible pluronic-based nanocarrier. This nanosized UECA was stable in serum-containing media and generated CO2, more preferentially at low pH; thus, it could be detected by US imaging. After intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice, this nanosized UECA showed a significant US contrast enhancement at the tumor site in 1 h, in contrast to no change in the liver, followed by a rapid clearance from the body in 24 h. Therefore, the present nanosized UECA could be applied as an effective diagnostic modality for in vivo tumor imaging by ultrasonography.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology , Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Manse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology , Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University , Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Se Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University , Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology , Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.|Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Institute, KIST , Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Giyoong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D002119:Calcium Carbonate
keywords: CaCO3; nanocarrier; nanosized UECA; pluronic; ultrasound imaging