Given the promise of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for photothermal therapy, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and gene therapy, there is a need for non-invasive imaging methods to monitor CNT distribution and fate in the body. In this study, non-ionizing whole-body high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to follow the distribution of water-dispersible non-toxic functionalized CNTs administrated intravenously to mice. Oxidized CNTs are endowed with positive MRI contrast properties by covalent functionalization with the chelating ligand diethylenetriaminepentaacetic dianhydride (DTPA), followed by chelation to Gd3+. The structural and magnetic properties, MR relaxivities, cellular uptake, and application for MRI cell imaging of Gd-CNTs in comparison to the precursor oxidized CNTs are evaluated. Despite the intrinsic T2 contrast of oxidized CNTs internalized in macrophages, the anchoring of paramagnetic gadolinium onto the nanotube sidewall allows efficient T1 contrast and MR signal enhancement, which is preserved after CNT internalization by cells. Hence, due to their high dispersibility, Gd-CNTs have the potential to produce positive contrast in vivo following injection into the bloodstream. The uptake of Gd-CNTs in the liver and spleen is assessed using MRI, while rapid renal clearance of extracellular Gd-CNTs is observed, confirming the evidences of other studies using different imaging modalities.

This work was supported by ANR P2N (NANOTHER project 2010-NANO-008–398 04) and by the Region Ile-de-France (convention SESAME E1845 for the JEOL ARM 200F electron microscope recently installed at the Paris Diderot University). E.P., B.B., C.M.-M., and A.B. acknowledge the EU FP7-ITN Marie-Curie Network programme RADDEL (290023). E.P. is enrolled in the UAB PhD program.

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