In vivo fluorescence imaging with Ag2S quantum dots in the second near-infrared region.

Hits the dot: Ag(2)S quantum dots (QDs) with bright near-infrared-II fluorescence emission (around 1200 nm) and six-arm branched PEG surface coating were synthesized for in vivo small-animal imaging. The 6PEG-Ag(2)S QDs afforded a tumor uptake of approximately 10 % injected dose/gram, owing to a long circulation half-life of approximately 4 h. Clearance of the injected 6PEG-Ag(2)S QDs occurs mainly through the biliary pathway in mice.