New research options for combined nuclear imaging and radiotherapy

VECTor enables unique research options for radionuclide imaging and therapy

High–energy isotopes like 131I and 213Bi are very hard to image with conventional micro-SPECT. MILabs’ patented VECTor cluster pinhole technology enables for the first time to perform high-sensitivity and better than 0.7 mm resolution SPECT imaging of such “difficult” isotopes. VECTor+ is the only system that can visualize and quantify any combination of tracers from 20-600 keV simultaneously at sub (half)mm resolution.

Both 131I and 213Bi are so called theranostic tracers which can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes at the same time. In the past a major challenge was to detect these tracers accurately in traditional preclinical SPECT scanners due to the high-energy photons of respectively 440 keV and 364 keV. MILabs enables the researcher to perform local dosimetry based on the VECTor scan and therefore accurately assess treatment efficiency.

Radionuclide properties of two different theranostic tracers
Isotope Decay γ-photon (keV) Half-life
213Bi  α, β  440  45 min
 131I  β 364 8 days

Initial results of 213Bi clearly demonstrate sub-mm resolution imaging of 213Bi-DOTA-octreotate, as performed at the Erasmus MC, see figure 1.

231-Bi_inv 213Bi
Figure 1: (Left) Resolution Jaszczak phantom of 213Bi, showing resolution of 0.7 mm, (Right) CA20948 tumour bearing mouse injected with 3MBq 213Bi-DOTA-octreotate. (Images courtesy of J. de Swart, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam)

Additionally, an example of imaging and quantification of 131I is shown in figure 2; showing 0.5 mm resolution, as performed at the UMC Utrecht.

131-I
Figure 2: Resolution Jaszczak phantom of 131I, showing 0.5 mm resolution. (Image courtesy of F. van den Have, UMC Utrecht and TU Delft.)

 

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