Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is very important for noninvasive lymphography. However, the present MR contrast agents still cannot supply strong enough tissue contrast and long observation window. To improve the performance of contrast agents, we introduce one-dimensional unimolecular nanoparticles with a confined and compact poly(acrylic acid) core as nanoparticulate chelates of gadolinium ions. Thus, obtained nanoparticulate T1 contrast agents give r1 relaxivity as high as 136.3 mM-1·s-1 under 3.0 T. By injection at the footpad of mice, the contrast agents provide excellent contrast enhancement of lymphatic drainage and they may arrive at popliteal lymph nodes within 30 min and reside for more than 80 h. High performance of the present contrast agent is attributed to the confined and compact core of materials that increase hydration number, intershell water diffusion, and decrease rotational motion.
Keywords: contrast agents; gadolinium ions; lymph nodes; magnetic resonance imaging; molecular bottlebrushes.