Multifunctional NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) nanocrystals as a multimodal platform for NIR-II fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging

Recently, multimodal imaging nanoprobes based on the complementary advantages of various imaging methods have attracted considerable attention due to their potential application in the biomedical field. As important bioimaging nanoprobes, lanthanide-doped nanocrystals (NCs) would be expected to improve the related biophotonic technology through integrated multimodal bioimaging. Herein, water-soluble and biocompatible NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) NCs were prepared by a solvothermal method combined with hydrophobic interaction with phospholipids as a capping agent. The NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) NCs exhibit excellent colloidal stability under physiological conditions. Compared with the bare NaYF(4):Nd(3+) NCs, the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) fluorescence intensities of Nd(3+) ions in the NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) core–shell NCs at the emissions of 1058 nm and 1332 nm are enhanced by 3.46- and 1.75-fold, respectively. Moreover, the r(2) value of NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) NCs as T(2)-weighted contrast agents is calculated to be 44.0 mM(−1) s(−1). As a novel multimodal imaging nanoprobe, the NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) NCs can be employed for both NIR-II fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The phospholipid-modified NaYF(4):Nd/NaDyF(4) NCs demonstrate in vitro and in vivo multimodal NIR-II fluorescence imaging and MRI of HeLa cells and tumors, respectively. This study provides an effective strategy for the development of novel multimodal probes for the medical application of nanomaterials.