Fabrication and characterization of composite hydrogel particles with x-ray attenuating media

This paper reports the characterization of composite hydrogel particles by using a novel fabrication method, which produces the X-ray attenuating media with particle varying size and shape for computed tomography (CT) imaging. The rheological testing demonstrated tunable mechanical properties of composite hydrogel based on UV crosslinking time. The leakage testing verified longer stability time of gold nanoparticle-based X-ray attenuating media. In contradistinction to the currently clinically available iodinated CT contrast agents, as well as recently developed nanoparticulate CT contrast agents, the approach presented herein yields an engineering flexibility to the design of CT contrast agents for specific imaging and sensing applications.