Nanoparticles of gadolinium-incorporated Prussian blue with PEG coating as an effective oral MRI contrast agent for gastrointestinal tract imaging

Biocompatible nanoparticles of gadolinium-incorporated Prussian blue with the empirical formula K0.94Gd0.02Fe[Fe(CN)(6)] exhibit extremely high stability against the release of Gd3+ and CN- ions under the acidic conditions similar to stomach juice. The high r(1) relaxivity, low cytotoxicity and the ability of such nanoparticles to penetrate the cell membrane suggest that this coordination-polymer structural platform offers a unique opportunity for developing the next generation of T-1-weighted oral cellular MRI probes for the early detection of tumors in the gastrointestinal tract.