Theranostics (Therapy and Diagnostics) is a new targeted form of cancer treatment that is sweeping western medicine. Zr-89 is a positron-emitting isotope under investigation for use in the Diagnostic side of the new protocols. Zr-89 has a longer half-life than most PET isotopes and is suitable for imaging monoclonal antibodies, which have a slow in vivo uptake.Dr. Metzger’s paper at the recent Methods of Analytical Radiochemistry Conference entitled “Assessment of Long-Lived Contaminants in Zr-89 Labeled Monoclonal Antibodies” discusses Theranostics and the potential of Zr-89 in the dynamic PET imaging of monoclonal antibodies. The paper can be found in this link.
Cu-61 is another interesting isotope for PET imaging in Theranostics, and can be considered a substitute for Ga-68 when supplies of this isotope are short. Dr. Metzger’s abstract on this isotope from the 12th International Conference on Isotopes in Florence, IT can be found here.