Nanoparticles in Nuclear Imaging

The present review article summarizes the current state radiolabeled nanoparticles for molecular imaging applications mainly targeting cancer. Due to their enormous flexibility, and versatility the radiolabeled nanoparticles have shown their potential in the diagnosis and therapy. As the matter of fact, these radiolabeled imaging agents enable the visualization of the cellular function and the follow-up of the molecular process in living organisms. Moreover, the rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology has provided various innovative radionuclides and delivery systems, such as liposomes, magnetic agents, polymers, dendrimers, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes to cope up with the hurdles which have been posed by various disease states. KEY WORDS: Nuclear Imaging; Nanoparticles; Diagnostic imaging; Medical imaging