Synthesis of Lipophilic Core–Shell Fe3O4@SiO2@Au Nanoparticles and Polymeric Entrapment into Nanomicelles: A Novel Nanosystem for in Vivo Active Targeting and Magnetic Resonance–Photoacoustic Dual Imaging

In this work, iron/silica/gold core–shell nanoparticles (Fe3O4@SiO2@Au NPs) characterized by magnetic and optical properties have been synthesized to obtain a promising theranostic platform. To improve their biocompatibility, the obtained multilayer nanoparticles have been entrapped in polymeric micelles, decorated with folic acid moieties, and tested in vivo for photoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging detection of ovarian cancer.