Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens: Emerging Theranostic Platforms for Pulmonary Diseases

Despite advancements in medical technology, pulmonary diseases such as refractory infections and lung cancer persist as leading causes of death globally, primarily due to the paucity of early diagnostic biomarkers and the nonspecific nature of systemic therapies. Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens offer a paradigm shift, overcoming the inherent limitations of traditional fluorophores through their unique aggregation-enhanced emission mechanism. This review highlights the evolution of AIE-based theranostic platforms tailored for respiratory medicine. We showcase how AIE probes achieve high-fidelity imaging and in situ photothermal/photodynamic ablation of pulmonary pathogens, alongside their capacity to guide surgical resection and potentiate immunotherapy in lung cancer. Key challenges hindering clinical translation, such as deep-tissue light penetration and scalable manufacturing, are critically evaluated. Ultimately, this work underscores the potential of intelligent AIE systems to revolutionize the precision management of pulmonary pathologies through multidisciplinary convergence.