Utilization of Innovative Hydroxyapatite-Coated Gd2O3@Bi2O3 Nanocomposite as a Bifunctional Material for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography

• Published in: BioNanoScience 2020-12, Vol.10 (4), p.909-916
• Main Authors: Gharehaghaji, Nahideh, Divband, Baharak, Bakhtiari-Asl, Fatemeh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attenuation; Biocompatibility; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomaterials; Biophysics; Bismuth oxides; Bismuth trioxide; Cell viability; Circuits and Systems; Computed tomography; Contrast agents; Contrast media; Engineering; Gadolinium oxides; Hydroxyapatite; Magnetic properties; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical imaging; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Tomography
• ISSN: 2191-1630; 2191-1649
• DOI: 10.1007/s12668-020-00787-1

Recently, different nanostructures have been investigated as contrast agents for bimodal magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography (MRI/CT). In this study, the potentiality of the combined form of the Gd 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3 , and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles for bimodal MRI/CT was examined because of their individual properties. For this purpose, Gd 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 –HA nanocomposite was synthesized via a two-step method. The structure, size, magnetic property, and the cell viability of the nanocomposite were investigated. MRI and CT were performed to determine the relevant relaxivities and the X-ray attenuation of the nanocomposite, respectively. The paramagnetic nanocomposite had a spherical shape with a size of 20–30 nm. The cell viability data confirmed the cytocompatibility of the nanocomposite. The r1 and r2 relaxivities were calculated as 33.41 and 59.33 mM −1  s −1 , respectively, leading to an r2/r1 of 1.7. The r1 relaxivity and the X-ray attenuation of the nanocomposite were higher than those of the commercial contrast media. This study suggests that Gd 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 –HA nanocomposite, as a novel nanomaterial, has excellent potential for bimodal T1-weighted MRI and CT.