CHAPTER 7:Development of Magnetic Theranostic Agents

The importance of theranostic nanomedicine as a therapeutic paradigm is steadily increasing. The enormous progress in the synthesis of advanced materials facilitates the design of tailored nanoplatforms that are capable of both imaging and therapeutic functions. Theranostic nanosystems diagnose diseases, such as the exact location of solid tumors and metastases or the sites of infection, with high precision. They then deliver drugs and monitor the therapeutic response of the host. Ideally, these systems can be adapted to administer personalized medicine to optimize the outcome of (theranostic) therapy. Here, we will focus on theranostic systems that are designed for using MRI as imaging modality. The accelerating evolution in the chemistry of synthesizing core-materials and surface modifications, as well as in the field of supramolecular design has led to an abundance of theranostic systems, such as Nanomicelles, Nanoemulsions, Nanovesicles, Microcapsules, Magnetoliposomes, Polymer-based Theranostic Agents, Dendrimers, Multifunctional Magnetic Nanoparticles, and Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles, that are covered in this chapter. Preclinical and clinical studies will show which approaches will become the new standard of care.