Figure 2.

Schematic representation of targeted nanoparticles engineered for biomedical imaging and therapeutic drug delivery applications. The components of a multifunctional nanocarrier can include a ligand for cellular targeting, and an encapsulated payload for delivery of the therapeutic agents. The imaging components (e.g. radioisotope, NIR dye) can be incorporated in the interior payload, on the targeting ligand or associated with the nanoparticle shell, for example.