Materials and methods for synthesizing magnetic core/gold shell nanoparticles and magneto-plasmonic nanostars are provided. Formulations comprising nanoparticles optionally bound to or co-loaded with a therapeutic agent encapsulated within liposomes are provided. A method for treating diseases (e.g., brain diseases) in a subject by administering to the subject a formulation comprising the nanoparticle formulation is also provided. Further, a method is provided for imaging a target site of a subject following the administering of the nanoparticle formulations.

A rod-shaped plant virus having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and at least one imaging agent that is linked to the interior and/or exterior surface is described. The rod-shaped viruses can be combined into larger spherical nanoparticles. A rod-shaped plant virus or spherical nanoparticles including an imaging agent can be used in a method of generating an image of a tissue region of a subject such as a tumor or atherosclerotic tissue by administering the virus particle to the subject and generating an image of the tissue region of the subject to which the virus particle has been distributed.

Systems, methods and related devices used to produce and collect polarized noble gas to inhibit, suppress, detect or filter alkali metal nanoclusters to preserve or increase a polarization level thereof. The systems can include a pre-sat chamber that has an Area Ratio between 20 and 500.

Systems, methods and related devices used to produce and collect polarized noble gas to inhibit, suppress, detect or filter alkali metal nanoclusters to preserve or increase a polarization level thereof. The systems can include a pre-sat chamber that has an Area Ratio between 20 and 500.

A method of preparing a coated nanoparticle can include decomposing a compound to produce a nanoparticle, oxidizing the nanoparticle to produce an oxidized nanoparticle, and coating the oxidized nanoparticle with a zwitterionic ligand to produce the coated nanoparticle. The coated nanoparticle or the nanoparticle can be used in magnetic resonance imaging.

An MRI contrast agent, including superparamagnetic nanoparticles and hydroxyethyl starch. The weight ratio of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles to the hydroxyethyl starch is between 1:5 and 1:15. The superparamagnetic nanoparticles have a particle size of 100-140 nm, and include the following layers, from the inside out, ferrous ferric oxide particles, citric acid, and poly-R-lysine. The citric acid accounts for 6-13 wt. % of the ferrous ferric oxide particles. The poly-R-lysine accounts for 6-20 wt. % of the ferrous ferric oxide particles.

An MRI contrast agent, including superparamagnetic nanoparticles and hydroxyethyl starch. The weight ratio of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles to the hydroxyethyl starch is between 1:5 and 1:15. The superparamagnetic nanoparticles have a particle size of 100-140 nm, and include the following layers, from the inside out, ferrous ferric oxide particles, citric acid, and poly-R-lysine. The citric acid accounts for 6-13 wt. % of the ferrous ferric oxide particles. The poly-R-lysine accounts for 6-20 wt. % of the ferrous ferric oxide particles.

The present application provides a polymer microsphere and a preparing method thereof. The polymer microsphere includes a core and a shell coating the core; the core includes at least two magnetic particles and a dispersion located between two neighboring magnetic particles; the shell includes a main shell body and a modifying layer, and the modifying layer is located on one side of the main shell body that is away from the magnetic particles; and a material of the dispersion, a material of the main shell body and a material of the modifying layer are the same. The magnetic particles in the polymer microsphere have a good dispersibility, and, when heated, the magnetic attraction force and the magnetic responsiveness of the polymer microsphere can nearly maintain unchanged.

Provided herein are nanoparticle-based gadolinium (Gd) agents which may be used, e.g., in T1-weighted MR imaging (MRI). In various embodiments, dual-Gd liposomal agents are provided which contain both core-encapsulated Gd as well as surface-conjugated Gd. In various embodiments, these agents were observed to deliver a higher concentrations of Gd and result in substantial improvements in signal to noise ratios and contrast to noise ratios. Also provided are methods for in vivo imaging and/or treating diseases such as cancer or tumor in a subject.

A system and method for locating magnetic material. In one embodiment the system includes a magnetic probe; a power module in electrical communication with the magnetic probe to supply current to the magnetic probe; a sense module in electrical communication with the magnetic probe to receive signals from the magnetic probe; and a computer in electrical communication with the power module and the sense module. The computer generates a waveform that controls the supply of current from the power module and receives a signal from the sense module that indicates the presence of magnetic material. The magnetic probe is constructed from a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of substantially 10.sup.?6/? C. or less and a Young's modulus of substantially 50 GPa or greater. In one embodiment magnetic nanoparticles are injected into a breast and the lymph nodes collecting the particles are detected with the probe and deemed sentinel nodes.