Molecular Imaging Using PET/MRI Particle

With the remarkable progress of non-invasive molecular imaging techniques, the nanotechnology could provide powerful tools for development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents in bio-and nano-medicine field. Several imaging techniques including PET and MRI system have been developed for diagnosis, providing functional and anatomical information. Recently, the combined system of PET/MRI imaging modalities with nanoparticles allows the simultaneous monitoring of cancer localization and provides detailed information of nanoparticle distribution in vivo. A variety form of multimodal imaging probes has been developed to overcome the limitation of single imaging modality. In this review, we describe the technological advances associated with nanoparticle-based multimodal imaging system including PET/MRI in living subjects. First, we introduce the simple imaging strategy using optical or PET imaging tracer and the MR imaging approach using a variety of magnetic nanoparticles for the detection of cancer. Then, we cover the improved techniques for efficient targeting with multimodal imaging agents to lymph node area and engrafted cancer sites. In addition, we introduce a successful application of quadruple imaging nanoparticles for the evaluation of more accurate tumor distribution in clinical oncology. These results indicate that multimodal imaging strategy using nanoparticles can endow broad application in multidisciplinary field to monitor a variety of biological systems in a single investigation, and ultimately offer synergistic information for better understanding in diagnosis and therapy of human diseases.