In this study, a novel polymerizable CT contrast agent integrating iodine with europium(III) has been developed by a facile and universal coordination chemistry method. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles are then incorporated into this iodine-containing europium complex by seed-emulsifier-free polymerization. The nanocomposites combining the difunctional complex and superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which have uniform size dispersion and high encapsulation rate, are suitable for computed X-ray tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and optical imaging. They possess good paramagnetic properties with a maximum saturation magnetization of 2.16 emu/g and a transverse relaxivity rate of 260 mM(-1) s(-1), and they exhibit obvious contrast effects with an iodine payload less than 4.8 mg I/mL. In the in vivo optical imaging assessment, vivid fluorescent dots can be observed in the liver and spleen by two-photon confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM). All the results showed that nanocomposites as polymeric trifunctional contrast agents have great clinical potential in CT, MR, and optical imaging.
Keywords: computed X-ray tomography imaging; iodine-containing contrast agents; magnetic resonance imaging; polymeric nanocomposites; rare-earth fluorescent.