Organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in vivo

In recent years, organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents including semiconducting polymer nanoparticles and small-molecule organic photothermal agents-encapsulated nanoparticles have attracted large attention from researchers in the biomedical field, owing to their excellent optical properties, good biocompatibility, easy processability, and flexible surface functionalization, as well as their combined functions of photoacoustic (PA) imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). In this review, we summarize the recent advances in organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents for in vivo PA imaging and PTT applications. In particular, we focus on the design strategies, which are composed of traditional approaches and emerging mechanisms, especially based on “intramolecular motion-induced photothermy” strategy to regulate the photophysical properties of organic/polymer photothermal nanoagents for boosted in vivo PA imaging and PTT.