Deep Photoacoustic/Luminescence/Magnetic Resonance Multimodal Imaging in Living Subjects Using High-Efficiency Upconversion Nanocomposites

A gadolinium-doped multi-shell up-conversion nanoparticle under 800 nm excitation is synthesized with a 10-fold fluorescence-intensity enhancement over that under 980 nm. The nanoformulations exhibit excellent photoacoustic/luminescence/magnetic resonance tri-modal imaging capabilities, enabling visualization of tumor morphology and microvessel distribution at a new imaging depth.