Abundant expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTR) is frequently identified in differentiated neuroendocrine tumors and may serve as potential target for diagnostic imaging and treatment. This article discusses the "theranostic approach" of SSTR-targeting compounds including an overview of its role for diagnosis, staging and restaging, discussing its way to being established in clinical routi...

This work presents the development of a facile ligand-assisted hydrothermal reaction for the preparation of NIR-activated Fe(3)O(4) nanostructures that can directly upgrade the iron oxide with MR contrast ability to be a MRI/photothermal theranostic agent.

Supramolecular self-assembly between poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT), a polymeric material extensively used for optoelectronic devices, and fluorescent glycoprobes produces core-glycoshell theranostic nanodots (glyco-dots) capable of targeted imaging and photodynamic therapy of liver and triple-negative breast cancer cells.

A multifunctional drug delivery vehicle consisting of a tubular shaped silica host, a compact superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle layer and a hyaluronic acid surface coating was developed as a theranostic platform, for in vivo MR imaging and magnetically guided/cancer targeted drug delivery.

A bioelectronic system composed of two modified electrodes, one activated in the presence of ketone bodies, a biomarker of diabetic ketoacidosis, and another releasing insulin upon receiving a signal, was designed and tested in vitro to operate as a Sense-and-Act device. The functional integration of biomarker-sensing and insulin-releasing electrodes represents a step to a theranostic system wi...

Nanoparticle-based theranostic agents have emerged as a new paradigm in nanomedicine field for integration of multimodal imaging and therapeutic functions within a single platform. However, the clinical translation of these agents is severely limited by the complexity of fabrication, long-term toxicity of the materials, and unfavorable biodistributions. Here we report an extremely simple and ro...

Ischemic brain microlesions are often asymptomatic, but can cause irreversible neurodegenerative damage if they remain undetected and untreated. Inflammatory processes, involving activated microglia, are triggered at and around ischemic lesion sites. Early detection of microlesions using fluorescent nanocrystals (quantum dots), together with therapeutic interventions, utilizing anti-inflammator...

In recent years, several radioligands targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) have been clinically introduced as a new class of theranostic radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of prostate cancer (PC). In the second decade of the 21st century, a new era in nuclear medicine was initiated by the clinical introduction of small-molecule PSMA inhibitor radioligands, 40 y after the clin...

Theranostics is a multidisciplinary journal that publishes innovative and original research papers reflecting the field of molecular imaging, molecular therapeutics, multifunctional nanoparticle platforms, image-guided therapy, and translational nanomedicine. A broad spectrum of biomedical research that can be applied to future theranostic applications is encouraged.

Nano-carbons, including fullerenes, carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and nano-diamonds, are an important class of nanostructures attracting tremendous interests in the past two decades. In this special issue, seven review articles and research reports are collected, to summarize and present the latest progress in the exploration of various nano-carbons for theranostic applicati...