Theragnostic Agents Utilized in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Advances as Novel Contrast Agents

Dear Colleagues,

As the Guest Editor for this Special Issue in the journal Pharmaceuticals, I would like to reach out to request your contribution as an expert in the development of theranostic probes for MRI.

Cancer theranostics have begun to evolve as innovative approaches, allowing for simultaneous and precise cancer diagnosis and treatment. Current theranostic concepts aim at (i) facilitating the observation and monitoring of anticancer drugs, (ii) providing targeted and personalized cancer therapy, and (iii) achieving simultaneous diagnosis and treatment in (early-stage) cancer patients. Macromolecules such as biopolymers, polysaccharides, and/or nanoparticles coupled to anticancer molecules, tumor cell markers, or imaging agents are still in their early stages of development but have shown promising results in vitro and in rodent models. In these systems, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) proved effective in tracking the fate of nanoparticles, whilst simultaneously providing concise structural, functional, and molecular information on the disease.

Though cancer theranostics are still in their infancy, a number of theranostics, based on T1, T2, or chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI, have been already explored to track the route of drug carriers in vivo and image diseased tissues so as to enhance bioavailability, overcome complex delivery barriers, and assess therapeutic responses. Moreover, intelligent nanoparticles, combining small molecule drugs, thermal treatment, and multimodal imaging, have been developed to act as multifunctional agents, providing an improved therapeutic outcome.

In this Special Issue, we will highlight the key recent advances in the development of MRI-guided theranostics in the field of tumor treatment and monitoring. The scope of this Special Issue includes the original studies on innovative chemistry and strategies/methods applied to the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of cancer. With the current Special Issue on Theranostic Agents in MRI, we hope to present the newest achievements in the development of theranostic probes for MRI and shed light on the molecular constituents of this malignant disease, gaining novel pathobiological insights into the way in which these constituents affect biological functions. In line with the increasing appreciation of the heterogeneity of malignancies, we will discuss the emerging concepts of personalized therapy for various types of cancer./p>

Dr. Irena Pashkunova-Martic
Prof. Dr. Cécile Philippe
Guest Editors

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• cancer theranostics
• MRI
• high-relaxivity agents
• gadolinium-free contrast agents
• cancer-targeting ligands
• specific MRI agents
• drug-loading MRI agents
• hyperthermal MRI agents
• multifunctional MRI contrast agents