Microwave-Driven Synthesis of Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles for Molecular Imaging

Abstract

Here, we present a comprehensive review on the use of microwave chemistry for the synthesis of iron-oxide nanoparticles focused on molecular imaging. We provide a brief introduction on molecular imaging, the applications of iron oxide in biomedicine, and traditional methods for the synthesis of these nanoparticles. The review then focuses on the different examples published where the use of microwaves is key for the production of nanoparticles. We study how the different parameters modulate nanoparticle properties, particularly for imaging applications. Finally, we explore principal applications in imaging of microwave-produced iron-oxide nanoparticles.

Keywords

• iron-oxide nanoparticles
• molecular imaging
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• positron-emission tomography (PET)