PMAO coated Na(GdLu)F:Nd nanocrystals as multifunctional contrast agent with NIR optical, X-ray and magnetic imaging properties.

Nanomaterials with multiple imaging functionalities are nowadays getting tremendous attention due to their several superior features compared to existing contrast agents. By developing a nanomaterial that exhibit multiple functionalities, the possibility to increase the amount of imaging information obtained in a short amount of time is becoming more and more a reality. In this work, we developed a multifunctional nanocrystals (NCs), Na(GdLu)F:Nd, that combines multiple rare-earth features as an all-in-one imaging agent comprised of optical imaging, magnetic imaging, and X-ray imaging by utilizing the superparamagnetic features of Gd, the high X-ray absorption cross section of Lu, and the NIR fluorescence of Nd. Morphology, optical properties, and cell viability are shown in detail where the utility of this multifunctional imaging agent was confirmed by optical, X-ray and magnetic imaging experiments. Surface functionalization of the NCs is also presented to highlight the potential application of the NCs as contrast agents in biological imaging.