Integrin targeted imaging agents

1. A method to deliver an emulsion comprising nanoparticles to a target tissue, wherein said target tissue is characterized by high levels of α v β 3 integrin,

which method comprises administering to a subject comprising such tissue an emulsion of nanoparticles wherein said nanoparticles are coupled to a ligand specific for α v β 3 integrin,

wherein said nanoparticles consist of liquid perfluorocarbon cores coated with lipid/surfactant, and wherein the coupling of said nanoparticles to the ligand is through a covalent linkage, through a spacer, to a component of the lipid/surfactant coating, and

wherein the ligand comprises a residue of the formula

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles further include at least one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said MRI contrast agent is a chelated paramagnetic ion.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said chelating agent comprises diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DPTA) or 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and the paramagnetic ion is gadolinium ion.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles further include at least one biologically active agent.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said biologically active agent is a hormone or pharmaceutical compound.

7. The method of claim 2 , which further includes allowing the α v β 3 -specific ligand to bind to the target tissue; and

obtaining a magnetic resonance image of said target tissue.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said residue is coupled through a spacer to a component of the lipid/surfactant coating that is a phosphatidyl lipid.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the ligand coupled to the component of the lipidisurfactant coating is of the formula