2009/02/02 by Jacob W. Aptekar, J. W. Aptekar, M. C. Cassidy +28 · 3 citations
Chemistry · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced NMR Techniques and Applications #Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery #Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.1021/nn900996p
published as ACS Nano 3, 4003 (2009) · supporting material here: http://marcuslab.harvard.edu/Aptekar_hyper1_sup.pdf
arxiv created 2009/02/02 · openalex publication_date 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Magnetic resonance imaging of hyperpolarized nuclei provides high image contrast with little or no background signal. To date, in vivo applications of prehyperpolarized materials have been limited by relatively short nuclear spin relaxation times. Here, we investigate silicon nanoparticles as a new type of hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agent. Nuclear spin relaxation times for a variety of Si nanoparticles are found to be remarkably long, ranging from many minutes to hours at room temperature, allowing hyperpolarized nanoparticles to be transported, administered, and imaged on practical time scales. Additionally, we demonstrate that Si nanoparticles can be surface functionalized using techniques common to other biologically targeted nanoparticle systems. These results suggest that Si nanoparticles can be used as a targetable, hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agent with a large range of potential applications.