Nanoparticle-based imaging of inflammatory bowel disease.

Although inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been extensively studied, the pathogenesis is still not completely understood. As a result, the treatment options remain unsatisfactory and nonspecific. With the rapid advancement of diagnostic imaging techniques, imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are playing a more important role in IBD diagnosis and evaluation. Recent developments in nanotechnology utilize an interdisciplinary approach to specifically target molecular or cellular IBD pathological process thereby generating nanoparticles (NPs) with high specificity and diagnostic and/or therapeutic efficacy. Nano-based imaging, which incorporates nanotechnology and imaging modalities, may allow for the early detection of IBD, the monitoring of disease activity, and may be used to monitor the therapeutic response at cellular and/or molecular level. In this review, we highlight issues related to nano-based imaging and its application in IBD field.