title: Advances in nanoparticle imaging technology for vascular pathologies.
abstract: Nanoparticle imaging agents for vascular pathologies are in development, and some agents are already in clinical trials. Untargeted agents, with long circulation, are excellent blood-pool agents, but molecularly targeted agents have significant advantages due to the signal enhancement possible with nanoparticle presentation of the contrast agent molecules. Molecular targets that are accessible directly from the vasculature are optimal for such agents. Targets that are removed from the vasculature, such as those on tumor cell surfaces, have limited accessibility owing to the enhanced permeation and retention effect. Yet, efforts at molecular targeting have tested small molecules, peptides, antibodies, and most recently aptamers as possible targeting ligands. The future is bright for nanoparticle-based imaging of vascular pathologies.
authors.affiliation: The Singleton Department of Pediatric Radiology, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030; email: avannapr@texaschildrens.org.
authors.forename: Ananth
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Annapragada
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D015637:Gated Blood-Pool Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: antibody ligands; aptamer ligands; blood-pool imaging; enhanced permeation and retention; molecular imaging; peptide ligands