NaGdF:Eu Nanoparticles for Enhanced X-ray Excited Optical Imaging.

X-ray luminescent nanoparticles (NPs), including lanthanide fluorides, have been evaluated for application to deep tissue in vivo molecular imaging using optical tomography. A combination of high material density, higher atomic number and efficient NIR luminescence from compatible lanthanide dopant ions indicates that particles that consist of ALnF (A = alkaline, Ln = lanthanide element) may offer a very attractive class of materials for high resolution, deep tissue imaging with X-ray excitation. NaGdF:Eu NPs produced an X-ray excited luminescence that was among the most efficient of nanomaterials that have been studied thus far.