High longitudinal relaxivity of ultra-small gadolinium oxide prepared by microsecond laser ablation in diethylene glycol

Journal Article · Sun Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4803035· OSTI ID:22102369

Ningqi, Luo; Jun, Xiao; Wenyong, Hu; Dihu, Chen ^[1]; Xiumei, Tian ^[2]; Chuan, Yang; Li, Li ^[2]

---

1. State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China)
2. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Imaging Diagnosis and Interventional Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060 (China)

Ultra-small gadolinium oxide (Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}) can be used as T{sub 1}-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agent own to its high longitudinal relaxivity (r{sub 1}) and has attracted intensive attention in these years. In this paper, ultra-small Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles of 3.8 nm in diameter have been successfully synthesized by a microsecond laser ablating a gadolinium (Gd) target in diethylene glycol (DEG). The growth inhibition effect induced by the large viscosity of DEG makes it possible to synthesize ultra-small Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} by laser ablation in DEG. The r{sub 1} value and T{sub 1}-weighted MR images are measured by a 3.0 T MRI spectroscope. The results show these nanoparticles with a high r{sub 1} value of 9.76 s{sup -1} mM{sup -1} to be good MRI contrast agents. We propose an explanation for the high r{sub 1} value of ultra-small Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} by considering the decreasing factor (surface to volume ratio of the nanoparticles, S/V) and the increasing factor (water hydration number of the Gd{sup 3+} on Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} surface, q), which offer a new look into the relaxivity studies of MRI contrast agents. Our research provides a new approach to preparing ultra-small Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} of high r{sub 1} value by laser ablation in DEG and develops the understanding of high relaxivity of ultra-small Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} MRI contrast agents.

• OSTI ID: 22102369
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 113, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CONTRAST MEDIA
GADOLINIUM
GADOLINIUM IONS
GADOLINIUM OXIDES
GLYCOLS
INHIBITION
LASER RADIATION
NANOSTRUCTURES
NMR IMAGING
SURFACES