Fig. 5From: Nanotechnology and cancer: improving real-time monitoring and staging of bladder cancer with multimodal mesoporous silica nanoparticlesEvaluation of increased contrast and histopatholgical benefits of our nanoparticle technology. MSN bind preferentially to bladder cancer cells relative to normal bladder epithelia in vivo as shown in a series of renderings of T2-weighted MRI scans acquired before (a–c) and after (d–f) intravesicular instillation of Gd2O3–TRITC–MSN. a and d 2-dimensional grayscale view, the tumor (T) is shown before and after injection of particles; note clear labeling of the tumor surface * asterisk. (b, e) 3-dimensional rendering provides further evidence of the particle distribution on the tumor surface. c, f Here the tumor is segmented and rendered with a pseudocolor map. Finger-like projections are revealed which are not observed before the injection of particles (c). Histology confirms anatomical observations and particle penetrations in the structures within the tumor: bright field (g) and fluorescent microscopy (h). Scale bars 1 mm (a–f); 250 μm (g, h)Back to article page