Nanoparticle-Based Paramagnetic Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Figure 1

Typical transmission electron microscope image and schematic representation of Gd-DOTA-MSNs (66.3 ± 6.6 nm) prepared using (a) “short delay” co-condensation, where functionalities are internalised deeply in the structure (r₁ = 17.14 ± 0.49 mM⁻¹·s⁻¹), (b) “long delay” co-condensation, where functionalities are internalised nearer to the porous openings (r₁ = 33.57 ± 1.29 mM⁻¹·s⁻¹), and (c) postgrafting, where functionalities are loaded on external surfaces (r₁ = 10.77 ± 0.22 mM⁻¹·s⁻¹). (d) Postgrafted Gd-DOTA-non-porous silica nanoparticles (r₁ = 19.56 ± 0.47 mM⁻¹·s⁻¹) (reproduced from [71]).