Tri-Modal Imaging of Gold-Dotted Magnetic Nanoparticles for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography and Intravascular Ultrasound: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Aim: To examine the multimodal contrasting ability of gold-dotted magnetic nanoparticles (Au*MNPs) for magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging. Materials & methods: Au*MNPs were prepared by adapting an impregnation method, without using surface capping reagents and characterized (transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) with their in vitro cytotoxicity assessed, followed by imaging assessments. Results: The contrast-enhancing ability of Au*MNPs was shown to be concentration-dependent across MR, CT and IVUS imaging. The Au content of the Au*MNP led to evident increases of the IVUS signal. Conclusion: We demonstrated that Au*MNPs showed concentration-dependent contrast-enhancing ability in MRI and CT imaging, and for the first-time in IVUS imaging due to the Au content. These Au*MNPs are promising toward solidifying tri-modal imaging-based theragnostics.

Keywords::

• computed tomography
• Fe₃O₄ magnetite nanoparticles
• Gold deposition
• MRI
• MR-CT-IVUS imaging
• multimodal imaging

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this article please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/nnm-2020-0236

Financial & competing interests disclosure

J Kuhn acknowledges the Heriot-Watt University, the CareerConcept AG (FESTO Bildungsfonds) and the Deutsche Bildung AG for funding his PhD study. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Acknowledgments

CC Berry thanks C-A Smith and M Mullin of the University of Glasgow for their assistance in cell culture and electron microscopy, respectively. The Knut and Alice Wallenbergs Foundation is acknowledged for an equipment grant which supported the electron microscopy facilities at Stockholm University. We also thank C Pischetola (Heriot-Watt University) for her assistance in the AAS analysis.

Additional information

Funding

J Kuhn acknowledges the Heriot-Watt University, the CareerConcept AG (FESTO Bildungsfonds) and the Deutsche Bildung AG for funding his PhD study. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.