Tuneable manganese oxide nanoparticle based theranostic agents for potential diagnosis and drug delivery.

Among various magnetic nanoparticles, manganese oxide nanoparticles are considered as established magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for preclinical research. The implications of their degradation properties and use as therapeutic carriers in drug delivery systems have not been explored. In addition, how the chemical composition and size of manganese oxide nanoparticles, as well as the surrounding environment, influence their degradation and MRI contrast properties ( ) have not been studied in great detail.