The　purpose　of　this　study　was　to　develop　a　specific　targeting　magnetic　nanoparticle　probe　for　magnetic　resonance　imaging　and　therapy　in　the　form　of　local　hyperthermia.　Carboxymethyl　dextran-coated　ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide　nanoparticles　with　carboxyl　groups　were　coupled　to　cyclic　arginine-glycine-aspartic　peptides　for　integrin　αvβ3　targeting.　The　particle　size,　magnetic　properties,　heating　effect,　and　stability　of　the　arginine-glycine-aspartic-ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide　were　measured.　The　arginine-glycine-aspartic-ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide　demonstrates　excellent　stability　and　fast　magneto-temperature　response.　Magnetic　resonance　imaging　signal　intensity　of　Bcap37　cells　incubated　with　arginine-glycine-aspartic-ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide　was　significantly　decreased　compared　with　that　incubated　with　plain　ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide.　The　preferential　uptake　of　arginine-glycine-　aspartic-ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide　by　target　cells　was　further　confirmed　by　Prussian　blue　staining　and　confocal　laser　scanning　microscopy.　©　2013　The　Author(s).