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Review
. 2009 Nov;6(11):1175-94.
doi: 10.1517/17425240903229031.

Nanoparticles for biomedical imaging

Satish K Nune  1 , Padmaja Gunda, Praveen K Thallapally, Ying-Ying Lin, M Laird Forrest, Cory J Berkland
Affiliations
Review

Nanoparticles for biomedical imaging

Satish K Nune et al. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2009 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Synthetic nanoparticles are emerging as versatile tools in biomedical applications, particularly in the area of biomedical imaging. Nanoparticles 1 - 100 nm in diameter have dimensions comparable to biological functional units. Diverse surface chemistries, unique magnetic properties, tunable absorption and emission properties, and recent advances in the synthesis and engineering of various nanoparticles suggest their potential as probes for early detection of diseases such as cancer. Surface functionalization has expanded further the potential of nanoparticles as probes for molecular imaging.

Objective: To summarize emerging research of nanoparticles for biomedical imaging with increased selectivity and reduced nonspecific uptake with increased spatial resolution containing stabilizers conjugated with targeting ligands.

Methods: This review summarizes recent technological advances in the synthesis of various nanoparticle probes, and surveys methods to improve the targeting of nanoparticles for their application in biomedical imaging.

Conclusion: Structural design of nanomaterials for biomedical imaging continues to expand and diversify. Synthetic methods have aimed to control the size and surface characteristics of nanoparticles to control distribution, half-life and elimination. Although molecular imaging applications using nanoparticles are advancing into clinical applications, challenges such as storage stability and long-term toxicology should continue to be addressed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A. Illustration of targeting cancerous cells with nanoparticles. B. CT attenuation (HU) of A9-antibody-coated gold nanorods (AuNR) with various cancerous and non-cancerous cells. Reproduced with permission from [16].
Figure 2
Figure 2
A. Bioconjugation of QD705 and RGD peptide. B. In vivo fluorescence image of mice with U87MG tumor treated with QD705-RGD (left) and QD705 (right), respectively. Reproduced with permission from [67].
Figure 3
Figure 3
A. Illustration of size-dependent T2-weighted images and mass magnetization of iron oxide nanoparticles at 1.5 T. B. Magnetic resonance contrast T2-weighed images with different HER2/neu expression levels. A. Reproduced with permission from [96]. B. Reproduced with permission from [98].
Figure 4
Figure 4
A. Bioconjugation of iron oxide nanoparticles using bifunctional ligands. B. Bioconjugation of amino-CLIO-FITC with various small molecules. Reproduced with permission from [103]. CLIO: Crosslinked iron oxide nanoparticles; FITC: Fluorescein isothiocyanate.
Figure 5
Figure 5
A. MRI image of mice injected with first (G1), third (G3) and fifth (G5) generation Gd(III)-DTPA-PPI dendrimers. B. Near infrared transillumination images of ICG-CPNPs in nude mice implanted with human breast tumors. A. Reproduced with permission from [133]. B. Reproduced with permission from [165]. CPNPs: Calcium phosphate nanoparticles; ICG: Indocyanine green.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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