Abstract
A stable bimodal contrast agent for both MRI and fluorescence imaging was prepared based on fluorescent superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. In order to increase the stability of the product in a physiological medium, the designed route for preparation of this bimodal contrast agent is based on covalent linkages. Superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles were prepared by a coprecipitation method in polyol media, and then the surface of nanoparticles was modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to introduce reactive amine groups on the surface of nanoparticles. The hybrid nanoparticles were obtained by conjugating rhodamine B to APTES-modified superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles through amide linkage. Longitudinal (r1) and transverse (r2) proton relaxivities and their ratio (r2/r1) obtained for bimodal contrast agent in different magnetic fields show their higher efficiency as T2 contrast agent for MRI in comparison with commercially available magnetite-based contrast agents. Moreover, these nanoparticles can be followed up by fluorescence imaging. This study shows that rhodamine B-tagged iron oxide nanoparticles are well suited as a contrast agent for dual modality magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging.
Published Version
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