Bimodal magnetic resonance imaging-computed tomography nanoprobes: A Review

Bimodal imaging combines two imaging modalities in order to benefit from their advantages and compensatethe limitations of each modality. This technique could accurately detect diseases for diagnostic purposes.Nanoparticles simultaneously offer diagnostic data via various imaging modalities owing to their uniqueproperties. Moreover, bimodal nanoprobes could be incorporated into theranostic systems for the design ofmultifunctional agents. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are frequentlyused as noninvasive imaging modalities. These powerful, noninvasive diagnostic techniques used for theimaging of soft and hard tissues, respectively. However, MRI has low sensitivity and is not suitable for theimaging of bony structures. On the other hand, low soft tissue contrast is a major limitation of CT. Therefore,the development of various contrast agents that are proper for bimodal MRI/CT nanoprobes could largelyinfluence modern medicine. This review aimed to specifically focus on the imaging properties of bimodalMRI/CT nanoprobes and their biomedical applications.