Abstract
The establishment of multiplex photoacoustic molecular imaging to characterize heterogeneous tissues requires the use of a tunable, thermally stable contrast agent targeted to specific cell types. We have developed a multiplex photoacoustic imaging technique which uses targeted silica-coated gold nanorods to distinguish cell inclusions in vitro. This paper describes the use of tunable targeted silica-coated gold nanorods (SiO2-AuNRs) as contrast agents for photoacoustic molecular imaging. SiO2-AuNRs with peak absorption wavelengths of 780 nm and 830 nm were targeted to cells expressing different cell receptors. Cells were incubated with the targeted SiO2-AuNRs, incorporated in a tissue phantom, and imaged using multiwavelength photoacoustic imaging. We used photoacoustic imaging and statistical correlation analysis to distinguish between the unique cell inclusions within the tissue phantom.
Highlights
The development of a non-invasive multiplex molecular imaging technique capable of high resolution at significant tissue depths would aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases such as cancer
The establishment of multiplex photoacoustic molecular imaging to characterize heterogeneous tissues requires the use of a tunable, thermally stable contrast agent targeted to specific cell types
We have developed a multiplex photoacoustic imaging technique which uses targeted silicacoated gold nanorods to distinguish cell inclusions in vitro
Summary
The development of a non-invasive multiplex molecular imaging technique capable of high resolution at significant tissue depths would aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases such as cancer To address this need, we have developed a multiplex molecular imaging approach based on multispectral photoacoustic (PA) imaging of silica-coated gold nanorod (SiO2-AuNR) contrast agents targeted to specific cell receptors. Gold nanorods begin to demonstrate changes in optical absorption spectra at 8 mJ/cm with as few as 300 laser pulses [16], suggesting that in vivo PA imaging within 1 cm of the skin surface would cause degradation, and the loss of optimal optical properties, of the nanorod contrast agents For these reasons, a silica-coating method of providing improved stability during PA imaging [16] has been used in this work.
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