R.P. Baum and F. Rösch, Eds.
New York, NY: Springer, 2013, 594 pages, $199
The general themes of this book (theranostics and peptide receptor–targeted radiotherapy) derive from evolving successes in the use of generator-produced 68Ga for molecular imaging of disease. The chapters represent an excellent synopsis of the scientific developments presented at the First World Congress on Gallium-68 and Peptide Receptor Targeted Radiation Therapy (June 2011), which attracted more than 300 investigators (from over 50 countries) to Bad Berka, Germany, for the scientific event.
The use of 68Ga for molecular imaging of disease has seen a remarkable increase over the last several years. Applications for 68Ga PET are emerging across a broad spectrum of diagnostic imaging challenges, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, infection, and inflammation. The increase in enthusiasm for 68Ga use can be ascribed to several factors, including superiority in achievable image quality compared with other γ-emitting radionuclides (e.g., 111In); nuclear decay characteristics (i.e., half-life and positron emission branching ratio) that are considered favorable for clinical molecular imaging; and the potential for on-demand production via the introduction of maturing competitive generator and fluid-handling technologies that are now capable of providing a reliable, high-purity, on-demand 68Ga precursor in sufficient quantities for routine radiopharmaceutical production in the absence of cyclotron operations. These characteristics promise an increasing role for 68Ga as a tool for the design of compounds that have both diagnostic and therapeutic attributes (i.e., theranostics).
The book is organized into 4 sections. Part I details the history of 68Ga generators and highlights recent advances in radiochemistry, generator technology, and fluid-handling systems that provide the basis to advance 68Ga (and compounds labeled with therapeutic radionuclides, such as 177Lu) to clinical applications for patient care. Part II provides a broad review of the potential for 68Ga and peptide receptor–targeted molecular imaging and radiotherapy through contributions highlighting the potential of 68Ga for labeling of peptides, small molecules, nanoparticles, antibodies, and Affibody (Affibody AB) molecules. Part III focuses on clinical molecular imaging applications for 68Ga, with a heavy focus on the success of radiolabeled peptides targeted to the somatostatin subtype II receptor for imaging of neuroendocrine tumors, but also includes an interesting application of 68Ga for lung perfusion imaging. Part IV provides excellent contributions highlighting recent success in peptide receptor radionuclide therapy for neuroendocrine tumors using 177Lu and includes dosimetry contributions that can provide researchers with excellent background material needed to consider the introduction of new radiolabeled peptides for therapy and diagnostic imaging.
This book is an excellent resource for investigators interested in gaining a detailed understanding of the state of the art in 68Ga and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy–based theranostics for preclinical and emerging clinical applications.
Footnotes
Published online Feb. 25, 2013.
- © 2013 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.