Nanoparticles for multimodal in vivo imaging in nanomedicine

Abstract

Jaehong Key,1–3 James F Leary1–41Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, 2Birck Nanotechnology Center, 3Bindley Bioscience Center, 4College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USAAbstract: While nanoparticles are usually designed for targeted drug delivery, they can also simultaneously provide diagnostic information by a variety of in vivo imaging methods. These diagnostic capabilities make use of specific properties of nanoparticle core materials. Near-infrared fluorescent probes provide optical detection of cells targeted by real-time nanoparticle-distribution studies within the organ compartments of live, anesthetized animals. By combining different imaging modalities, we can start with deep-body imaging by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography, and by using optical imaging, get down to the resolution required for real-time fluorescence-guided surgery.Keywords: nanomedicine, nanoparticles, multimodal imaging, CT, MRI, NIRF, PET, cancer