Figure 4.

Schematic of a core/satellite nanotheranostic (CSNT) as a radiosensitizer. This CSNT is constructed by decorating ultra-small CuS nanoparticles onto the surface of a silica-coated rare earth upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP). UCNP cores are used to enlarge the local radiation dose for the enhanced RT, and CuS satellites are responsible for converting the 980 nm laser into heat for photothermal ablation (PTA). The combination of PTA and CSNT-enhanced radiotherapy (RT) could give rise to a strong synergistic effect and then construct an RT/PTA synergistic system. Reproduced with the permission from Xiao et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc.; published by American Chemical Society, 2013.