Noninvasive diagnosis of diverse gastrointestinal disorders using tantalum-rich carbon dots as an X-ray contrast agent
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases pose significant diagnostic challenges due to nonspecific early symptoms and the difficulty in detecting subtle lesions. Dynamic X-ray imaging and high spatial-resolution computed tomography (CT) provide flexible and powerful tools for the precise diagnosis of diverse GI diseases. However, current clinical X-ray contrast agents (CAs) still present inherent limitations, as barium sulfate exhibits poor water solubility, and iodine-based small molecules encounter issues of iodine allergy, contraindications and generally low sensitivity. Here, we report noninvasive diagnosis of diverse GI disorders using tantalum-rich carbon dots (Ta-rCDs) as an X-ray CA. Ta-rCDs are prepared through a simple and scalable high-temperature carbonization process, featuring ultrahigh Ta content (∼48%), gram-scale yield (3.2 g per batch), ultrasmall hydrodynamic size (∼3 nm), excellent water solubility (>500 mg/mL) and strong X-ray attenuation. In models of small-intestinal stricture and esophageal leakage, Ta-rCDs enable simultaneous dynamic X-ray tracking and high-resolution CT imaging, allowing the visualization of microlesions and demonstrating efficient renal excretion upon entering the peritoneal cavity. Systematic biocompatibility assessments further confirm their good biosafety. Together these findings offer a noninvasive, real-time and high-sensitivity strategy for accurate diagnosis and monitoring of GI diseases.
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BibTeX
@article{wei2026noninvasive,
title = {{Noninvasive diagnosis of diverse gastrointestinal disorders using tantalum-rich carbon dots as an X-ray contrast agent}},
author = {Yibo Wei and Nan Liu and Wenjing Hou and Ran Cheng and Shaokai Sun and Gang Shu},
journal = {Regenerative Biomaterials},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1093/rb/rbag187},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/rb/rbag187},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Noninvasive diagnosis of diverse gastrointestinal disorders using tantalum-rich carbon dots as an X-ray contrast agent
AU - Yibo Wei
AU - Nan Liu
AU - Wenjing Hou
AU - Ran Cheng
AU - Shaokai Sun
AU - Gang Shu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/10
JO - Regenerative Biomaterials
DO - 10.1093/rb/rbag187
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/rb/rbag187
AB - Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases pose significant diagnostic challenges due to nonspecific early symptoms and the difficulty in detecting subtle lesions. Dynamic X-ray imaging and high spatial-resolution computed tomography (CT) provide flexible and powerful tools for the precise diagnosis of diverse GI diseases. However, current clinical X-ray contrast agents (CAs) still present inherent limitations, as barium sulfate exhibits poor water solubility, and iodine-based small molecules encounter issues of iodine allergy, contraindications and generally low sensitivity. Here, we report noninvasive diagnosis of diverse GI disorders using tantalum-rich carbon dots (Ta-rCDs) as an X-ray CA. Ta-rCDs are prepared through a simple and scalable high-temperature carbonization process, featuring ultrahigh Ta content (∼48%), gram-scale yield (3.2 g per batch), ultrasmall hydrodynamic size (∼3 nm), excellent water solubility (>500 mg/mL) and strong X-ray attenuation. In models of small-intestinal stricture and esophageal leakage, Ta-rCDs enable simultaneous dynamic X-ray tracking and high-resolution CT imaging, allowing the visualization of microlesions and demonstrating efficient renal excretion upon entering the peritoneal cavity. Systematic biocompatibility assessments further confirm their good biosafety. Together these findings offer a noninvasive, real-time and high-sensitivity strategy for accurate diagnosis and monitoring of GI diseases.
SN - 2056-3418
SN - 2056-3426
ER -