¹⁹F MRI Nanotheranostics for Cancer Management: Progress and Prospects

Abstract

Fluorine magnetic resonance imaging (19F MRI) is a promising imaging technique for cancer diagnosis because of its excellent soft tissue resolution and deep tissue penetration, as well as the inherent high natural abundance, almost no endogenous interference, quantitative analysis, and wide chemical shift range of the 19F nucleus. In recent years, scientists have synthesized various 19F MRI contrast agents. By further integrating a wide variety of nanomaterials and cutting‐edge construction strategies, magnetically equivalent 19F atoms are super‐loaded and maintain satisfactory relaxation efficiency to obtain high‐intensity 19F MRI signals. In this review, the nuclear magnetic resonance principle underlying 19F MRI is first described. Then, the construction and performance of various fluorinated contrast agents are summarized. Finally, challenges and future prospects regarding the clinical translation of 19F MRI nanoprobes are considered. This review will provide strategic guidance and panoramic expectations for designing new cancer theranostic regimens and realizing their clinical translation.

Copper(ii) complexes of cyclams with N-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-aminoalkyl pendant arms as potential probes for 19F magnetic resonance imaging

“…Among them, perfluorinated crown ethers, [31][32][33][34] fluorinated hydrocarbons 35 or fluorinated polymers 23,35,36 used in the form of nano-emulsions have attracted the highest interest. 37 However, these organic compounds exhibit very long T 1 relaxation times (of the order of seconds). Therefore, a long delay between excitation pulses is needed and it prolongs the overall acquisition time.…”

Fluorinated Human Serum Albumin as Potential 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging Probe

“…Recently, 19 F electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy was evaluated for distance measurement between a spin probe and a fluorine label [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Fluorine-based tracer construction can be engineered to contain polymers [ 34 , 35 ] and nanoparticles [ 29 , 30 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ] for cancer [ 35 , 39 , 40 ], Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid-β [ 41 , 42 , 43 ], neuro disorders [ 44 ], inflammation [ 45 ], and other various pathological conditions [ 26 ]. Improvements in 19 F MRI equipment combined with the development of novel, sensitive probes will decrease the global disease burden.…”

Recent development of contrast agents for magnetic resonance and multimodal imaging of glioblastoma

“…Similar to Traditional proton ( 1 H) MRI, 19 F MRI produces imaging signals by detecting the magnetic field changes which are accompanied by that 19 F atoms return from the excited state to the ground state after the withdrawal of the radio frequency pulse [174]. 1 H MRI is able to present abundant anatomical and pathophysiological information, but it shows limited capabilities to visualize key cells and biomolecules which tend to be rare [175].…”