Nanomaterials in bioimaging and diagnostics

The downsizing of materials has given rise to various effects, particularly the high surface area-to-volume ratio combined with other unique tunable properties that made nanomaterials appropriate tools for several biomedical applications. By improving existing clinically relevant technologies, nanotechnology has significantly advanced imaging, early detection, diagnosis, and prognosis of diseases. A pressing need for early detection and diagnosis of diseases endlessly drives the advancements of imaging modalities and contrast agents. Current challenges include fast and detailed imaging of tissue microstructures and lesion characterizations that could be achieved via developing nontoxic contrast agents with longer circulation time. With the nanoparticles' unique biophysical properties, it is possible to enhance biomedical imaging and manipulate nanoparticles for molecular specificity to make a tissue-specific diagnosis. Importantly, subtle variation in the size or composition of these nanoparticles results in abundant changes in their optical, magnetic, or electrical properties that allow the unique possibility of tuning them.