Advancement in Nanotechnology for Medical Imaging and Diagnostics

Nanotechnology has revolutionized healthcare by enabling control over materials at the molecular and atomic level. Nanoscale materials exhibit unique properties allowing for precise manipulation of light–matter interactions, contrast enhancement, and targeted bio-recognition. This makes them exceptionally suited for early disease detection, molecular imaging, and personalized therapy. Nano-based imaging has advanced modalities such as MRI, CT, PET, ultrasound, and optical imaging by improving sensitivity, resolution, and signal specificity with reduced systemic toxicity. Nanocarriers such as liposomes, dendrimers, micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles allow controlled drug release leading to targeted chemotherapy, photothermal and photodynamic therapy, and reduced off-target effects. The convergence of nanophysics, materials science, and molecular medicine is thus creating intelligent, multifunctional nanoplatforms that can diagnose, deliver, and treat with high specificity and minimal invasiveness. However, use of nanotechnology in therapeutics suffers from challenges in biosafety, regulatory approval, long-term biocompatibility, and large-scale reproducibility, limiting their practical application.

Early disease detection, precise diagnosis, and targeted therapy remain major challenges across healthcare. Traditional imaging modalities and therapeutic approaches often face limitations such as low sensitivity, poor resolution, systemic toxicity, and lack of molecular specificity. Nanotechnology with its ability to design and control materials at the atomic and molecular levels allows the development of highly functional, tunable, and biocompatible systems that can sense, visualize, and respond to disease environments with unprecedented precision. The goal of this Special Issue is to explore and disseminate cutting-edge research that integrates nanophysics, nanomaterials, and biomedical engineering to solve key diagnostic and therapeutic problems. The goal can be achieved using nano-based drugs, therapeutics, therapy, imaging and diagnostics and theragnostic.

The scope bridges fundamental physics, materials science, and biomedical applications, emphasizing how nanoscale design, synthesis, and characterization translate into real-world diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

This Research Topic aims to bring together interdisciplinary contributions from physics, nanotechnology, materials science, biomedical engineering, and computational sciences. We will present recent advancements in nanotechnology-driven approaches that enhance the sensitivity, specificity, and functionality of modern medical imaging and diagnostic systems. We will explore how nanoscale materials and physical principles can be engineered to improve disease detection, targeted drug delivery, image-guided therapy, and personalized treatment.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
a. Nanomaterial-based contrast agents, biosensors, and imaging platforms
b. Nanocomposites for medical imaging and diagnostics
c. Nanobased imaging and diagnostics
d. Nanodrugs and nano-therapeutics

Contributions addressing both experimental and computational studies, theoretical modeling, and translational applications are encouraged.