Metallic nanoparticles for imaging and therapy

Abstract

Metallic nanoparticles have captivated scientists due to their ability to be altered with different chemical functional groups, which enable them to conjugate with ligands, small molecules and medicines, thus creating a vast array of prospective implications in imaging and therapeutics. Additionally, several imaging techniques (e.g. CT scan, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound) have been invented for imaging various illnesses. These imaging techniques require contrast materials to highlight the body areas being examined. As a result, several metallic nanoparticles have been synthesized, including gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, nanocages, nanoshells and silver nanoparticles, to be used as a contrast material for imaging techniques and maybe act as therapeutics carriers. Therefore, this chapter systematically discusses the various metallic nanoparticles and their application in imaging and therapy.