Chapter 17 - Radionuclides for Imaging and Therapy in Oncology

Abstract

The role of nuclear medicine in the personalized management of oncology patients is increasing. It is an expanding field for diagnostics and internal radiotherapy on a molecular level. The major diagnostic techniques used in nuclear medicine include noninvasive positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) utilizing, respectively, positron- and gamma-emitting radionuclides for the generation of the signal. Internal radiotherapy considers deposition of radiation energy inside or in the vicinity of cancer cells with the aim of damaging or destroying them. The respective radionuclides emit alpha (α), beta (β−), Auger, or conversion electrons. Diagnostic imaging and internal radiotherapy have merged into theranostics. PET and SPECT provide invaluable assistance in patient treatment management in terms of early detection, staging, therapy selection, and planning, as well as monitoring therapy response and follow-up. The aid of these diagnostic methods expands to external radiotherapy and biochemical treatment. However, this chapter focuses on imaging and therapeutic radionuclides as well as respective radiopharmaceutical agents used internally in nuclear medicine.