Perfluorocarbon‐Based 19F MRI Nanoprobes for In Vivo Multicolor Imaging

Abstract

In vivo multicolor imaging is important for monitoring multiple biomolecular or cellular processes in biology. ¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging in vivo imaging technique because it can non‐invasively visualize ¹⁹F nuclei without endogenous background signals. Therefore, ¹⁹F MRI probes capable of multicolor imaging are in high demand. Herein, we report five types of perfluorocarbon‐encapsulated silica nanoparticles that show ¹⁹F NMR peaks with different chemical shifts. Three of the nanoprobes, which show spectrally distinct ¹⁹F NMR peaks with sufficient sensitivity, were selected for in vivo multicolor ¹⁹F MRI. The nanoprobes exhibited ¹⁹F MRI signals with three colors in a living mouse. Our in vivo multicolor system could be utilized for evaluating the effect of surface functional groups on the hepatic uptake in a mouse. This novel multicolor imaging technology will be a practical tool for elucidating in vivo biomolecular networks by ¹⁹F MRI.