PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Feng Chen
AU  - Emily B. Ehlerding
AU  - Weibo Cai
TI  - Theranostic Nanoparticles
AID  - 10.2967/jnumed.114.146019
DP  - 2014 Dec 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 1919--1922
VI  - 55
IP  - 12
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/55/12/1919.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/55/12/1919.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2014 Dec 01; 55
AB  - 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.