Technological watch

Nanomedicine?enabled/augmented ultrasound (US) medicine is a unique area of interdisciplinary research that focuses on designing and engineering functional nanosystems to address the challenging issues in US?based biomedicine, overcoming the shortcomings of traditional microbubbles and optimizing the design of contrast and sonosensitive agents. The single?faceted summary of available US?related therapies is still a significant drawback. Here, we aim to propose a comprehensive review on the recent advances of sonosensitive nanomaterials in advancing four US?related biological applications and disease theranostics. In addition to the mostly explored nanomedicine?enabled/augmented sonodynamic therapy (SDT), the summary and discussion of other sono?therapies and progresses/achievements are relatively lacking, including sonomechanical therapy (SMT), sonopiezoelectric therapy (SPT), and sonothermal therapy (STT). The design concepts of the specific sono?therapies based on nanomedicines are initially introduced. Furthermore, the representative paradigms for nanomedicine?enabled/enhanced US therapies are elaborated according to therapeutic principles and diversity. This review provides the updated and comprehensive review in the field of nanoultrasonic biomedicine, and comprehensively discusses the progresses of versatile ultrasonic disease treatments. Finally, the deep discussion on the facing challenges and prospects are expected to promote the emergence and establishment of a new branch of US biomedicine through the rational combination of nanomedicine and US clinical biomedicine.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved