Table 1.
Characteristics of molecular imaging modalities and representative examples for nanoparticle-based cancer imaging probes.
| Modality |
Spatial resolution |
Penetration depth | Sensitivity (mol/L) | Cost | Nanomaterial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PET | 1-2 mm | No limit | High (10−11–10−12) | High∗∗∗∗ | Polymer |
| CT | 50–200 μm | No limit | Low (10−1–10−4) | Low∗∗ | Gold nanoparticle, USPIO nanoparticle |
| MRI | 25–100 μm | No limit | Low (10−3–10−5) | High∗∗∗ | Paramagnetic liposome, USPIO nanoparticle |
| US | 50–500 μm | mm-cm | Medium | Low∗ | Microbubble |
∗ represents cost value; the more the stars, the higher the price.