铱 (III) 复合物的医学应用包括用作最先进的治疗诊断剂 - 将治疗和诊断功能结合到一个实体中的分子。由于其独特的特性，这些复合物为医学诊断、单细胞分辨率的精密成像和靶向抗癌治疗提供了一条有前途的途径。在这篇综述中，我们简要总结了它们在医学诊断、单细胞水平成像和靶向抗癌治疗中的应用。铱 (III) 配合物卓越的光物理特性，包括亮度和光稳定性，使其成为生物成像的绝佳候选者。它们可用于以前所未有的清晰度对细胞过程和单细胞内的微环境进行成像，有助于在分子水平上理解疾病机制。此外，铱（III）复合物可以被设计为选择性地靶向癌细胞。靶向后，这些复合物可以充当光动力疗法（PDT）的光敏剂，在光激活时产生活性氧（ROS）以诱导细胞死亡。铱 (III) 复合物的诊断和治疗能力的整合为癌症治疗的整体方法提供了潜力，不仅能够精确根除癌细胞，还能实时监测治疗效果和疾病进展。这与个性化医疗的目标相一致，为更有效、侵入性更小的癌症治疗策略带来了希望。版权所有 © 2024 作者。由 Elsevier Masson SAS 出版。保留所有权利。

Medical applications of iridium (III) complexes include their use as state-of-the-art theranostic agents - molecules that combine therapeutic and diagnostic functions into a single entity. These complexes offer a promising avenue in medical diagnostics, precision imaging at single-cell resolution and targeted anticancer therapy due to their unique properties. In this review we report a short summary of their application in medical diagnostics, imaging at single-cell level and targeted anticancer therapy. The exceptional photophysical properties of Iridium (III) complexes, including their brightness and photostability, make them excellent candidates for bioimaging. They can be used to image cellular processes and the microenvironment within single cells with unprecedented clarity, aiding in the understanding of disease mechanisms at the molecular level. Moreover the iridium (III) complexes can be designed to selectively target cancer cells,. Upon targeting, these complexes can act as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT), generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon light activation to induce cell death. The integration of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities in Iridium (III) complexes offers the potential for a holistic approach to cancer treatment, enabling not only the precise eradication of cancer cells but also the real-time monitoring of treatment efficacy and disease progression. This aligns with the goals of personalized medicine, offering hope for more effective and less invasive cancer treatment strategies.Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.