In Vivo Tumor Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy Based on Supra‐(Carbon Nanodots)

Abstract Carbon nanodots (CNDs) with high photothermal conversion efficiency are considered as emerging nanomaterials for advanced biomedical applications attributing to their high biocompatibility, low‐cost, and unique photophysical properties. In previous work, supra‐CNDs are synthesized exhibiting high absorption in the near‐infrared (NIR) region and good NIR photothermal conversion performance. In this work, supra‐CNDs are explored as a photothermal agent for photothermal therapy (PTT) and a contrast agent for photoacoustic (PA) imaging, respectively. As a result, in vivo tumor PTT is realized under 655 nm laser irradiation via intratumor injecting supra‐CNDs. In vivo PA imaging reveals that supra‐CNDs can accumulate in the tumor tissue via the blood circulation after intravenous injection. Moreover, in vivo PTT is conducted after intravenous injection and subsequent tumor accumulation of supra‐CNDs, and the lives of mice are prolonged due to the tumor growth inhibition after PTT. These attractive properties indicate that the supra‐CNDs can be used as biomedical agents for PA imaging and tumor therapy.