计算机断层扫描（CT）是临床实践中广泛使用的无创诊断工具。然而,临床CT成像中常用的小分子碘化对比剂(ICAs)具有在体内非特异性分布等局限性,通过肾脏快速清除，等。,导致狭窄的成像时间窗口。相比之下,现有的纳米级ICA面临着结构不确定性等挑战，重现性差，低碘含量，和一致性问题。在这项研究中,提出了一种利用聚集诱导发光剂(AIEgen)设计和制造一种单组分纳米ICA(即，BioDHU-CTNP）在激活时表现出独特的聚集效应。小尺寸的BioDHU-CT纳米粒子表现出优异的肿瘤靶向能力，可以释放经AIEgen修饰的ICA，释放效率高达88.45%，在肿瘤区域高表达的活性氧的激活下。释放的ICA在肿瘤区域执行原位聚集能力，这可以提高CT造影剂的保留效率，延长了成像时间窗,提高了肿瘤区域的成像质量。
Computed tomography (CT) is a widely utilized noninvasive diagnostic tool in clinical practice. However, the commonly employed small molecular iodinated contrast agents (ICAs) in clinical CT imaging have limitations such as nonspecific distribution in body, rapid clearance through kidneys, etc., leading to a narrow imaging time window. In contrast, existing nano-sized ICAs face challenges like structural uncertainty, poor reproducibility, low iodine content, and uniformity issues. In this study, a novel approach is presented utilizing the aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) to design and fabricate a kind of monocomponent nano-sized ICA (namely, BioDHU-CT NPs) that exhibits a unique aggregation effect upon activation. The small sized BioDHU-CT nanoparticles exhibit excellent tumor targeting capabilities and can release ICA modified with AIEgen with a high release efficiency up to 88.45%, under the activation of reactive oxygen species highly expressed in tumor regions. The released ICA performs in situ aggregation capability in the tumor region, which can enhance the retention efficiency of CT contrast agents, extending the imaging time window and improving the imaging quality in tumor regions.
