In vivo near-infrared photothermal therapy and computed tomography imaging of cancer cells using novel tungsten-based theranostic probe.

Photothermal therapy, as a physical therapeutic technique to kill cancer, has generated a great deal of interest. Photothermal agents hence play a critical role in this modern therapy. We report the use of transition metal oxides as photothermal agents based on PEGylated WO3-x nanoparticles. The well-prepared nanoparticles presented effective results during photothermal therapy both in vitro and in vivo by using near-IR laser irradiation (980 nm, 0.5 W cm(-2)). The tumor cells were effectively damaged using low power density during a short irradiation time without destroying healthy tissues. In vitro results of photothermal therapy with PEGylated WO3-x nanoparticles proved to be effective on 4T1 murine breast cancer cells via a confocal microscopy method and MTT assay. In vivo results were further confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) histological staining. Additionally, PEGylated WO3-x nanoparticles were shown to be effective as a CT imaging contrast agent on a tumor-bearing mouse model. Our results suggest that this generation of PEGylated WO3-x nanoparticles can potentially be used in oncological CT imaging and photothermal therapy.

Large-scale and facile synthesis of biocompatible Yb-based nanoparticles as a contrast agent for in vivo X-ray computed tomography imaging.

X-ray computed tomography (CT), an efficient non-invasive clinical technique, usually provides high-resolution 3D structure details of tissues in early disease diagnosis. Here, we report a high-performance CT imaging platform based on a monodispersed Yb-based nanoparticulate contrast agent. The well-prepared nanoprobes presented excellent in vitro and in vivo performances in the CT imaging, very low cytotoxicity and no detectable tissue damage in one month. More significantly, compared with routinely used Iobitridol in clinic, our Yb-based CT contrast agents provided much more enhanced contrast at a clinical 120 kVp voltage. Additionally, these nanoparticulate contrast agent could be excreted mainly via feces and urine, indicating the total elimination from the animal bodies and more potential for further biomedical applications.

Syphilitic aortitis complicated by multiple aortic aneurysms: findings of multidetector CT.

We report a case of syphilitic aortitis complicated by multiple aortic aneurysms in a 50-year-old man with elevated rapid plasma reagin titer of 1:128 and positive Treponema pallidum particle agglutination test. 256-slice MDCT depicted two saccular aneurysms in the descending thoracic aorta with a markedly thick mural thrombus causing the trachea and esophagus to shift to the right. Thickening of the aortic wall was also noted. Stenting of the proximal descending thoracic aortic aneurysm and aorto-right common carotid artery bypass were performed. Operative findings revealed thickening of the descending thoracic aortic wall with a coarse luminal surface.