Gd₂O₃, SiO₂-Gd₂O₃ and SiO₂-MnO₂ nanoparticles as potential MRI contrast agents

Abstract

Abstract Gd 2 O 3 , SiO 2 -Gd 2 O 3 and SiO 2 -MnO 2 nanoparticles were produced by the method of pulsed electron evaporation of oxide targets with condensation of the vapors in a vacuum. These materials are considered as probable contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The Gd 2 O 3 nanoparticles exhibit a rather high r1 and r2 relaxivities. These results point to the potential of using nanocrystals for MRI diagnosis. The mesoporous nanostructures SiO 2 -Gd 2 O 3 and SiO 2 -MnO 2 could be considered as multimodal theranostic agents.