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Deep-tissue anatomical imaging of mice using carbon nanotube fluorophores in the second near-infrared window.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Welsher, K; Sherlock, SP; Dai, H
Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
May 2011

Fluorescent imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR II, 1-1.4 μm) holds much promise due to minimal autofluorescence and tissue scattering. Here, using well-functionalized biocompatible single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as NIR II fluorescent imaging agents, we performed high-frame-rate video imaging of mice during intravenous injection of SWNTs and investigated the path of SWNTs through the mouse anatomy. We observed in real-time SWNT circulation through the lungs and kidneys several seconds postinjection, and spleen and liver at slightly later time points. Dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging through principal component analysis (PCA) was performed and found to greatly increase the anatomical resolution of organs as a function of time postinjection. Importantly, PCA was able to discriminate organs such as the pancreas, which could not be resolved from real-time raw images. Tissue phantom studies were performed to compare imaging in the NIR II region to the traditional NIR I biological transparency window (700-900 nm). Examination of the feature sizes of a common NIR I dye (indocyanine green) showed a more rapid loss of feature contrast and integrity with increasing feature depth as compared to SWNTs in the NIR II region. The effects of increased scattering in the NIR I versus NIR II region were confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation. In vivo fluorescence imaging in the NIR II region combined with PCA analysis may represent a powerful approach to high-resolution optical imaging through deep tissues, useful for a wide range of applications from biomedical research to disease diagnostics.

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Published In

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI

EISSN

1091-6490

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

May 2011

Volume

108

Issue

22

Start / End Page

8943 / 8948

Related Subject Headings

  • Spleen
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Mononuclear Phagocyte System
  • Microscopy, Video
  • Mice
  • Lung
  • Liver
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Welsher, K., Sherlock, S. P., & Dai, H. (2011). Deep-tissue anatomical imaging of mice using carbon nanotube fluorophores in the second near-infrared window. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(22), 8943–8948. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1014501108
Welsher, Kevin, Sarah P. Sherlock, and Hongjie Dai. “Deep-tissue anatomical imaging of mice using carbon nanotube fluorophores in the second near-infrared window.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108, no. 22 (May 2011): 8943–48. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1014501108.
Welsher K, Sherlock SP, Dai H. Deep-tissue anatomical imaging of mice using carbon nanotube fluorophores in the second near-infrared window. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2011 May;108(22):8943–8.
Welsher, Kevin, et al. “Deep-tissue anatomical imaging of mice using carbon nanotube fluorophores in the second near-infrared window.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 108, no. 22, May 2011, pp. 8943–48. Epmc, doi:10.1073/pnas.1014501108.
Welsher K, Sherlock SP, Dai H. Deep-tissue anatomical imaging of mice using carbon nanotube fluorophores in the second near-infrared window. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2011 May;108(22):8943–8948.
Journal cover image

Published In

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI

EISSN

1091-6490

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

May 2011

Volume

108

Issue

22

Start / End Page

8943 / 8948

Related Subject Headings

  • Spleen
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Mononuclear Phagocyte System
  • Microscopy, Video
  • Mice
  • Lung
  • Liver