Development of silica coated Europium doped gadolinium based Contrast agents for dual modal Imaging of cancer cells

Abstract

There is an alarming increase in the mortality rate due to the cancer all over the world. Cancer diagnosis at the early stage is the key to reduce the mortality newlinerate and for the proper treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a three newlinedimensional technique to view the soft tissues with high spatial resolution. But the newlinelimitation of this technique is its poor sensitivity. To improve the sensitivity, the newlineMRI can be combined with highly sensitive optical imaging. By combining the newlinetwo imaging modalities, dual modal imaging is achieved. Europium (Eu3+) ions newlinewith its superior luminescent properties can be doped into the gadolinium oxide newlinenanoparticles which intrinsically possess favourable magnetic properties for newlinedual modal imaging. Europium doped gadolinium oxide (Eu:Gd2O3) nanoparticles newlinewere synthesized by three different techniques such as co-precipitation method, newlinepolyol method and microwave-assisted combustion synthesis. newlineIn the Chapter 2, the Eu:Gd2O3 nanorods were prepared by using newlineco-precipitation method and then it was coated with silica to increase the newlinebiocompatibility. Initially, Eu:Gd(OH)3 nanorods were formed and after the newlinecalcination process Eu:Gd2O3 nanorods were produced. In the XRD spectrum, newlineit was noted that the peak position and the intensity matches the standard newlinecrystallographic data. Eu:Gd2O3 nanorods posses cubic crystal system with the newlineunit cell parameters a = b = c = 10.82 Å, and#945; = and#946; = and#947; = 90 °, and cell volume = newline1266.74 Å3. The crystallinity of the nanorods decreases after coating with silica. newlineTEM images proves that the prepared Eu:Gd2O3 nanoparticles exhibits rodlike newlinemorphology with a length of around 600 nm and a diameter of 40 nm. newlineSilica layer with the thickness of 15 nm was coated over the nanorods. The silica newlinecoating was also confirmed by the FTIR studies. Emission peak at 611 nm was newlineobserved due to the presence of Eu3+ ions in both the uncoated and silica-coated newlineEu:Gd2O3 nanorods newline