Safe and efficient magnetic resonance imaging of acute myocardial infarction with gadolinium-doped carbon dots.

Aim:The magneto-fluorescent gadolinium-doped carbon dots (Gd-CDs) were developed as a cardiac MR imaging contrast agent to detect the infarcted myocardium on a myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) mice model.Materials & methods:The chemophysical features, cardiac MR imaging effect, biodistribution and biocompatibility of Gd-CDs were studied.Results:The ultrasmall size and good aqueous dispersibility endows Gd-CDs with high longitudinal relaxivity, intense fluorescence, excellent physiological stability and superior biocompatibility. More importantly, Gd-CDs preferentially target the infarcts as determined by the confocal microscopy and MR imaging on the I/R mice at the acute stage of myocardial infarction.Conclusion:Gd-CDs manifest great potential for development as an MR imaging contrast agent to facilitate accurate visualization and image-guided therapy of acute myocardial infarction.