Gold nanoparticles protected by fluorinated ligands for 19F MRI

Gold nanoparticles coatedwith fluorinated ligands (F-MPCs) present features suitable for 19F MRI as observed from phantom experiments. Cellular uptake, by HeLa cells, and toxicity of fluorescent dyedecorated F-MPCs are presented together with their ability to bind hydrophobic molecules allowing for a potential combination of targeting, delivery and imaging features.