The synthesis, optical properties and efficiency of new multifunctional nanoparticles as theranostic (fluorescence/MRI/PDT) agents are described. They are based on a polysiloxane network and surrounded by gadolinium(III) chelates and ruthenium(II) complexes. The size of the nanoparticles is maintained under 5 nm in order to permit their efficient elimination from the body. Their potential use as a theranostic agent (PDT/MRI) is described. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles are studied by relaxometry (r1 = 9.21 mM(-1) s(-1) at 40 MHz; r2/r1 = 1.14) and the signal enhancement is validated by the acquisition of phantoms on a 3 T MRI imager. The therapeutic potential for photodynamic therapy of the nanoparticles has been studied in vitro on HEK293 cells and an effective quantum yield of 0.33 for (1)O2 production has been determined in deuterated water.