3D small-scale dosimetry and tumor control of 225Ac radiopharmaceuticals for prostate cancer, published in Scientific Reports, explores methods of measuring the spatial dose distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in organs and tumors, to inform treatment dose prescription and reduce off-target toxicity.

First authors Robin Peter and Anil Bidkar, PhD, with Kondapa Naidu Bobba, PhD, Luann Zerefa, Niranjan Meher, PhD, Anju Wadhwa, PhD, Rob Flavell, MD, PhD, and co-senior author Youngho Seo, PhD, joined colleagues from UC Berkeley and University of Arizona to investigate development of a 3D digital autoradiography (DAR) method to measure the spatial dose distribution of α-emitting radiopharmaceuticals. This allowed the research team to evaluate the effectiveness and toxicity of a novel therapeutic radiopharmaceutical for prostate cancer.

Seo said, “Small-, approaching even micro-, scale absorbed dose calculation can explain how alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals specifically target active areas in tumors.”