In the present study, a HCC-targeting and MRI-visible nonviral carrier, EGFR single-chain antibody-modified graft copolymer of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyethylenimine (PEI) complexing SPION (abbreviated as scAb-EGFR-PEG-g-PEI-SPION), was developed to mediate effective nucleic acid delivery to HCC both in vitro and in vivo. Here, EGFR is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.