title: Theranostic nanoparticles.
abstract: Theranostic nanoparticles hold the potential to revolutionize disease management. Over the last decade, there has been growing interest in the engineering of various kinds of theranostic nanoparticles for simultaneous cancer imaging and therapy in small animals. Efficient targeting of theranostic nanoparticles to the tumor site is critical for both diagnosis and therapy. However, difficulties still exist in the engineering of biocompatible theranostic nanoparticles with highly specific in vivo tumor-targeting capabilities. Here, we discuss the current and prospective status of theranostic nanoparticles that actively target tumors, as well as the challenges that still exist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin fchen@uwhealth.org wcai@uwhealth.org.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Emily B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Ehlerding
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin Materials Science Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin; and University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, Wisconsin fchen@uwhealth.org wcai@uwhealth.org.
authors.forename: Weibo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000138:chemical synthesis
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
keywords: active targeting; cancer; nanomedicine; theranostic nanoparticle; theranostics