title: Use of the semiconductor nanotechnologies "quantum dots" for in vivo cancer imaging.
abstract: Non-invasive in vivo imaging offers great potential to facilitate translational drug development research at the animal testing phase. The emerging luminescent nanoparticles or quantum dots provide a new type of biological agents that can improve these applications. The advantages of luminescent nanoparticles for biological applications include their high quantum yield, color availability, good photo-stability, large surface-to-volume ratio, surface functionality, and small size. These properties could improve the sensitivity of biological detection and imaging by at least 10- to 100-fold and make them an exceptional tool for live-cell imaging. In this review patents on applications of semiconductor quantum dots for in vivo imaging are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Lung Cancer Unit, National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciarlo
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cesario
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramella
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baio
authors.forename: Carlo E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Neumaier
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paleari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005470:Fluorometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012666:Semiconductors; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / Q000379:methods