Nanoparticles : Non-invasive Biomedical Imaging Agents

Abstract

The necessity for early detection of deadly diseases and to study the anatomical features of internal organs, there is an urge on the development of efficient and reliable method for biomedical imaging. This led to the emergence of nanoparticles as a versatile tool in cellular imaging. The main objective is to summarize the emerging research of nanoparticles for biomedical imaging with increased selectivity and reduced non-specific uptake by improved bioconjugation strategy. Quantum dots (fluorescent NPs), gold NPs and magnetic nanoparticles find several applications in in-vivo imaging techniques due to their exceptional properties. Toxicity of nanoparticles, however, remains a topic of concern which demands further investigation. Broader implication of this study includes improvement on the structural design of nanoparticles for in-vivo imaging and reduction of cytotoxicity. This review mainly emphasizes the properties and types of nanoparticles along with their applications in various imaging techniques.