Dendrimers for theranostic applications

Recently, there have been tremendous advances in the development of various nanotechnology-based platforms for diagnosis and therapy. These nanoplatforms, which include liposomes, micelles, polymers, and dendrimers, comprise highly integrated nanoparticles that provide multiple functions, such as targeting, imaging, and therapy. This review focuses on dendrimer-based nanocarriers that have recently been developed for 'theranostics (or theragnosis)', a combination of therapy and diagnostics. We discuss the in vitro and in vivo applications of these nanocarriers in strategies against diseases including cancer. We also explore the use of dendrimers as imaging agents for fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray computed tomography, and nuclear medical imaging.