Theranostic nanoplatforms for PET image-guided drug delivery

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) image-guided techniques have the potential to play an important role in the investigation of the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of drug delivery systems and monitoring their therapeutic responses for management of a wide variety of cancers. This field of study has advanced rapidly over the last few years, mainly due to the application of nanotechnology and advances in PET imaging instrumentation. Various types of nanoplatforms, which include organic nanoparticles such as liposomes, micelles, endogenous nanostructures, and inorganic nanoparticles such as metals and oxide nanoparticles, have been developed and exploited in biomedical research to deliver PET imaging agents (positron emitting radioisotopes) and chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer theranostics. This chapter focuses on the recent developments in PET-guided drug delivery using these theranostic nanoplatforms and discusses the challenges ahead for potential clinical translation of this approach.