Nanotechnological applications in medicine

Nanotechnology-based tools and techniques are rapidly emerging in the fields of medical imaging and targeted drug delivery. Employing constructs such as dendrimers, liposomes, nanoshells, nanotubes, emulsions and quantum dots, these advances lead toward the concept of personalized medicine and the potential for very early, even pre-symptomatic, diagnoses coupled with highly-effective targeted therapy. Highlighting clinically available and preclinical applications, this review explores the opportunities and issues surrounding nanomedicine.