A novel near infra-red fluorescent probes to repair metal artifact after implantation

Accurate, noninvasive techniques for monitoring bone-implant integration arc demanded in clinic. Standard X-ray and CT provide a snapshot of the skeletal structure. However, metal artifact is an unsolved problem to visualize the CT image detail of the bone tissue around metal implants. Therefore, evaluation of new bone formation or implant failing after an implantation surgery became difficult in clinic. The need led scientists to develop a nano-imaging probe to precisely reveal osseointcgration with implants. Conjugation of near infra-red fluorochrome (NIRF) CyTE-777 with α5β1 integrin specific binding peptide GGCRRETAWAC. a α5β1 targeting MRF probe was synthesized for the molecular imaging of osteoblastic activity and bone repair in vitro and in vivo. N1RT signals were significantly observed in activiatcd MG63 osteoblasts, and surgically implanted-niice. Three to four weeks after the implantation in mice, NIRF image can functionally recover the artifact data at implant sites of the CT image. The novel nano imaging technique provides a useful tool for monitoring the extent of osteogenesis in the surrounding bone tissue at the implantation site. Combined with CT, this approach might repair the image loss by metal artifact, and further predict the fate of the implantation in clinic.