⁶⁴Cu radiolabeled nano-materials as bimodal contrast agent for optical imaging and Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Fluorescent nano-crystals made of semiconductor material, also called Quantum Dots, are ideal agents for long-term or real-time optical imaging. They have been found to outperform traditional organic fluorescent dyes in many ways (size-tunable optical properties, high quantum yields, high extinction coefficients, resistance to photo bleaching). We have developed a microwave method for the synthesis of highly luminescent water soluble CdTe_xS_1-x nano-crystals (Φ= 53% at 600 nm). Their surface functionalization has been developed and controlled using a Nile-Red derivative as a fluorescent marker. The same coupling strategy will be used to incorporate ⁶⁴Cu-radiotracers for PET imaging at the surface of the Quantum Dots. A large variety of poly-aza-macrocyclic ligands, have been studied in order to optimize the in vivo stability of the ⁶⁴Cu-radiolabeled complexes and their efficiency as radiopharmaceuticals