Advanced Nanomaterials in Multimodal Imaging: Design, Functionalization, and Biomedical Applications

Table 1

Characteristics of several representative nanoparticles and their biomedical applications.

Type of nanoparticle	Synthetic protocol	Size range	Possible surface modifications	Imaging modality applicable	Possible therapeutic strategies	Reference
Quantum dot	colloidal synthesis, self-assembly, viral assembly	several to tens of nm	lipids, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules	optical	PDT*	[12]
Dendrimer	organic chemistry techniques	several nm varies from different “generation”	charge, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules	MRI, optical	drug and gene delivery	[13]
Liposome	emulsion, polymerization	tens to hundreds of nm	charge, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules, viral protein coating,	MRI, optical, radionuclide imaging	drug, gene and protein delivery, PDT,	[14]
Gold nanoparticle	biological reduction, colloidal synthesis, vapor precipitation	several to 100 nm	lipids, polymeric shell, targeting ligands or biomolecules	CT, optical	drug delivery, PTT*	[15]
Carbon Nanotube	arc discharge, laser ablation, vapor precipitation	tens of nm	polymeric shell, targeting ligands or biomolecules	MRI, optical, radionuclide imaging	drug delivery, PTT	[16]
Microbubble	emulsion, layer-by-layer fabrication, polymerization	tens to 1000 nm	polymeric shell, targeting ligands or biomolecules	US	drug, gene and protein delivery	[17]
Iron Oxide	coprecipitation, decomposition, microemulsion, sol-gel, thermal	several to tens of nm	charge, dextran, lipids, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules	MRI	siRNA delivery, PTT	[18]
Micelle	microemulsion	tens of nm	charge, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules	MRI, optical, radionuclide imaging	drug and gene delivery, PDT	[19]
Adenovirus	replication in host nucleus	tens of to 100 nm	charge, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules	MRI, optical	gene delivery	[20]
Silica nanoparticle	chemical polymerization, microemulsion, sol-gel	tens of to 100 nm	charge, polymer, targeting ligands or biomolecules	MRI, optical	drug and gene delivery	[21]

*Abbreviations: PDT= Photodynamic therapy; PTT= Photothermal therapy.