Table 1.

Nanomaterials and their common applications in diagnostics.

Nanomaterial	Description	Potential Applications
Quantum dots	Quantum dots are semi-conductor nanocrystals that possess excellent optical and electrical properties. Bright and photostable for the detection and detection of biomarkers.	Optical detection of proteins Tumor visualization
Carbon nanotubes	Carbon nanotubes are made of a layer of graphene that is rolled into a cylinder. Functionalized/decorated with different moieties for biomedical applications.	DNA mutations detectors Disease protein biomarker detection
Nanoparticles	Metallic, polymeric, and layered double hydroxide nanoparticles. Properties tailored by size, shape, composition, and surface modification.	Disease protein biomarker detection Detection of DNA mutations Targeted drug delivery Imaging agents
Nanoshells	Spherical nanoparticles made of a di-electric core that is capped by a thin metallic shell (gold). Nanoshells have a quasiparticle known as a plasmon.	Tumor Imaging or Visualization