An Adaptable Nanoplatform for Integrating Anatomic and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging under a 3.0 T Magnetic Field

Abstract It is well known that acidic tumor microenvironment (TME) is very important for tumor' growth, metastasis, and drug resistance. In addition, accurate diagnosis of the solid tumors' acidic microenviroment based on the precise location of their site is especially essential for the further treatment and prognostic evaluation of cancer. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used for clinical cancer diagnosis, there are still enormous challenges left for developing MRI agents which integrate anatomic imaging for tumor site location with functional imaging for pH evaluation, especially for medium or high magnetic field machines. Herein, an innovative strategy is proposed to incorporate anatomic imaging ( T 1 ‐weighted imaging, T 1 WI) with functional imaging (susceptibility weighted imaging, SWI) using one 3.0 T MRI scanner on an adaptable nanoplatform namely, NaGdF 4 @polydopamine@polyethylene glycol (PEG), which can self‐aggregate under the specific low pH in TME to realize regulatory susceptibility. Moreover, the nanoplatform performs well in tumor accurately location as well as pH sensitively perception. Most importantly, the strategy not only fuses two MRI models on one nanoplatform using one 3.0 T machine to extend the application range but also provides a new insight for the design of other novel imaging agents.