Gold　nanorods　(GNRs)　are　emerging　as　a　promising　nanoplatform　for　cancer　theranostics　because　of　their　unique　optical　properties.　However,　they　still　suffer　from　many　limitations,　such　as　high　cytotoxicity,　low　thermodynamic　and　biological　stability,　and　a　tedious　process　for　integrating　other　imaging　modalities,　for　further　practical　biomedical　applications.　In　this　work,　a　strategy　by　one-step　coating　of　Gd2O2S　around　GNRs　is　reported　to　address　these　limitations　of　GNRs.　After　the　coating　of　the　Gd2O2S　shell,　the　as-fabricated　Gd2O2S　coated　GNRs　(GNRs@Gd2O2S)　show　enhanced　biocompatibility　and　photostability,　and　tunable　localized　surface　plasmon　resonance.　The　strong　absorption　in　the　near-infrared　region　renders　GNRs@Gd2O2S　outstanding　photoacoustic　imaging　and　photothermal　therapy　capabilities.　Moreover,　owing　to　the　T1　shortening　ability　of　Gd2O2S,　the　GNRs@Gd2O2S　also　show　an　excellent　T1　MRI　contrast　performance.　The　GNRs@Gd2O2S　thus　can　serve　as　a　versatile　nanoplatform　for　cancer　theranostics　combining　dual-modal　imaging　and　photothermal　therapy.　©　2017　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.