Research on high-field magnetic resonance imaging (HF-MRI) has been increased in recent years, aiming to improve diagnosis accuracy by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and hence image quality. Conventional contrast agents (CAs) have important limitations for HF-MRI, with the consequent need for the development of new CAs. Among them, the most promising alternatives are those based on Dy or Ho compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBimodal medical imaging based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) is a well-known strategy to increase the diagnostic accuracy. The most recent advances in MRI and CT instrumentation are related to the use of ultra-high magnetic fields (UHF-MRI) and different working voltages (spectral CT), respectively. Such advances require the parallel development of bimodal contrast agents (CAs) that are efficient under new instrumental conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe have developed a trimodal bioimaging probe for near-infrared luminescent imaging, high-field magnetic resonance imaging, and X-ray computed tomography using Dy as the paramagnetic component and Nd as the luminescent cation, both of them incorporated in a vanadate matrix. Among different essayed architectures (single phase and core-shell nanoparticles) the one showing the best luminescent properties is that consisting of uniform DyVO nanoparticles coated with a first uniform layer of LaVO and a second layer of Nddoped LaVO. The magnetic relaxivity (r) at high field (9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUniform sodium-dysprosium double molybdate (NaDy(MoO)) nanoparticles having different morphologies (spheres and ellipsoids) and tunable size have been synthesized for the first time in literature. The procedure is based on a homogeneous precipitation process at moderated temperatures (≤220 °C) from solutions containing appropriated precursors dissolved in ethylene glycol-water mixtures, in the absence (spheres) or the presence (ellipsoids) of tartrate anions. The effects of the morphological characteristics (size and shape) of the nanoparticles on the magnetic relaxivity at high field (9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of high-field magnets for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is expected to experience the fastest growth rate during the present decade. Although several CAs for MRI scanners using high magnetic fields have been reported, they are mostly based on fluoride matrices, which are known for their low chemical stability in aqueous suspensions. Chemically stable MRI CAs for high-field magnets are therefore needed to enable the advances in MRI technique.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report on a novel synthesis method, which produces NaY(MoO) nanoparticles having an almost spherical shape and hydrophilic character. The procedure is also suitable for the preparation of NaY(MoO)-based nanophosphors by doping this host with lanthanide cations (Eu, Tb and Dy), which, under UV illumination, exhibit intense luminescence whose color is determined by the selected doping cation (red for Eu, green for Tb and yellow for Dy). The effects of the cations doping level on the luminescent properties are analyzed in terms of emission intensities and luminescent lifetime, to find the optimum phosphors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe increasing use of high magnetic fields in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners demands new contrast agents, since those used in low field instruments are not effective at high fields. In this paper, we report the synthesis of a negative MRI contrast agent consisting of HoPO nanoparticles (NPs). Three different sizes (27 nm, 48 nm and 80 nm) of cube-shaped NPs were obtained by homogeneous precipitation in polyol medium and then coated with poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) to obtain stable colloidal suspensions of HoPO@PAA NPs in physiological medium (PBS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe describe a wet chemical method for the synthesis of uniform and well-dispersed dysprosium vanadate (DyVO) and holmium vanadate (HoVO) nanoparticles with an almost spherical shape and a mean size of ∼60 nm and their functionalization with poly(acrylic acid). The transverse magnetic relaxivity of both systems at 9.4 T is analyzed on the basis of magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements in order to evaluate their potential for application as high-field MRI contrast agents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF