Enhanced Performance of a Molecular Photoacoustic Imaging Agent by Encapsulation in Mesoporous Silicon Nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: Photoacoustic (PA) imaging allows visualization of the physiology and pathology of tissues with good spatial resolution and relatively deep tissue penetration. The method converts near-infrared (NIR) laser excitation into thermal expansion, generating pressure transients that are detected with an acoustic transducer. Here, we find that the response of the PA contrast agent indocyanine green (ICG) can be enhanced 17-fold when it is sealed within a rigid nanoparticle. ICG encapsulated in particles composed of porous silicon (pSiNP), porous silica, or calcium silicate all show greater PA contrast relative to equivalent quantities of free ICG, with the pSiNPs showing the strongest enhancement. A liposomal formulation of ICG performs similar to free ICG, suggesting that a rigid host nanostructu

SUBMITTER: Kang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6309700 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature