Targeted Cu-labeled gold nanoparticles for dual imaging with positron emission tomography and optical imaging.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used for many years in cancer treatment mainly for brachytherapy, but in the last 15 years, the focus has shifted to the development of ultrasmall target-specific AuNPs with homogeneous size and, ultimately, tailored shapes for use in various imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), Raman, or photoacoustic imaging. Here, we report on the development of tumor-specific AuNPs as diagnostic tools intended for the dual detection of prostate cancer via optical imaging (OI) and positron emission tomography (PET). The AuNPs were decorated with a near-infrared dye and NODAGA chelator for complexation with radiometals.