yaqing gao
1 
, yixuan wang
1, kexin meng
1, fengjing fan
1, fei li
1, yongjun liu
2*, bei wang
1* 1 Department of Medical Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Medical and Health Key Laboratory of Abdominal Medical Imaging, Jinan 250014, China
2 Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Cheeloo College of Medicine Shandong University 44 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
Abstract
Ultrasound (US), known for its non-invasive nature and high tissue penetration, has demonstrated remarkable potential in medical diagnostic imaging and tumor therapy. Nanocarriers, through the use of nanomaterials, has exhibited significant advantages in targeted drug delivery, improving bioavailability and reducing side effects. The integration of these two technologies enables sensitive diagnose, precise drug release under ultrasound activation, enhancing comprehensive therapeutic efficacy, which make ultrasound-driven nanocarriers a hotspot in the field of tumor diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the biophysical effects of ultrasound and the advantages of ultrasound-driven nanocarriers. Subsequently, it systematically summarizes the classification of ultrasound-based nanocarriers, including both organic and inorganic carriers. Furthermore, the article elaborates in detail on the applications of ultrasound-mediated nanocarriers systems in oncology, including ultrasound-enhanced nanocarriers systems for imaging applications, sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Finally, the work conducts an in-depth analysis of the challenges hindering clinical translation and offers perspectives on future research directions.