SPIO-RGD nanoparticles as a molecular targeting probe for imaging tumor angiogenesis using synchrotron radiation.

Angiogenesis, new blood vessels sprouting from pre-existing vessels, is essential to tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. It can be used as a biomarker for early stage tumor diagnosis and targeted therapy. To visualize angiogenesis many molecular imaging modalities have been used. In this study a novel X-ray molecular targeting probe using superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) conjugated with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (SPIO-RGD) has been developed. Based on the extremely high sensitivity to the iron element of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence and the superior spatial resolution of third-generation synchrotron radiation, the feasibility of SPIO-RGD as a promising molecular probe for imaging tumor angiogenesis has been demonstrated.