title: Short-Term Dynamic Observation of the Color Change and Enhancement Effect of Polyethylenimine-Entrapped Gold Nanoparticles Used for Indirect Lymphography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To dynamically observe the color change and enhancement effect of gadolinium-loaded polyethylenimine-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Gd-Au PENPs) as a dual-mode CT/MRI contrast agent for sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 6 rabbits, Gd-Au PENPs were injected into the right side tongue submucosa, after which the color change of cervical draining lymph nodes was observed. Then the draining lymph nodes were examined by CT/MRI scan. Another 6 rabbits were randomly divided into a CT lymphography (CT-LG) and a MRI lymphography (MRI-LG) group and examined by CT/MRI scan 1 and 30 min after injection. Then SLNs were identified under the guidance of CT/MRI-LG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ipsilateral afferent lymphatic vessels, cervical draining lymph nodes and efferent lymphatic vessels were stained black orderly and constantly after Gd-Au PENPs injection. Thirty minutes after injection, all cervical lymph nodes were excised to be examined by CT/MRI scan, and only the black-stained draining lymph nodes were enhanced. The 6 rabbits with CT/MRI-LG showed clear enhancement of SLNs. With indirect lymphography, the black-stained SLNs were easily visualized at autopsy. In all rabbits, the identification rate of lingual SLNs was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rabbit lingual SLNs could be identified with indirect lymphography using Gd-Au PENPs as a dual-mode contrast agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiangyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium; D006046:Gold; D008220:Lymphography / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D053758:Nanoparticles; D009333:Neck; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D011817:Rabbits; D000071036:Sentinel Lymph Node / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D006046:Gold; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D005682:Gadolinium