title: Shape-Dependent Relaxivity of Nanoparticle-BasedT1Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents.
abstract: Gold nanostars functionalized with Gd(III) have shown significant promise as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of their anisotropic, branched shape. However, the size and shape polydispersity of as-synthesized gold nanostars have precluded efforts to develop a rigorous relationship between the gold nanostar structure (e.g., number of branches) and relaxivity of surface-bound Gd(III). This paper describes the use of a centrifugal separation method that can produce structurally refined populations of gold nanostars and is compatible with Gd(III) functionalization. Combined transmission electron microscopy and relaxivity analyses revealed that the increased number of nanostar branches was correlated with enhanced relaxivity. By identifying the underlying relaxivity mechanisms for Gd(III)-functionalized gold nanostars, we can inform the design of high-performance MRI contrast agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Kayla S B
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Culver
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Yu Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Rotz
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Meade
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hersam
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
authors.forename: Teri W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Odom