Personalized imaging to plan alpha-particle cancer therapy
Alpha-emitter Imaging for Dosimetry and Treatment Planning
This project will create new scans that let doctors see where alpha-particle cancer medicines go so they can plan safer, more precise treatment for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180177 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will develop improved SPECT imaging methods to detect the very small amounts of alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals used to treat cancer. They will capture signals from the primary alpha emitters and their radioactive daughter products and build 3-D maps of where the drug travels in the body. Those images will be used to estimate radiation dose to tumors and healthy tissues and to guide individualized treatment plans. Some testing will include scanning patients at specialized nuclear medicine centers to compare the new imaging with current approaches.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with cancer who are receiving or being considered for alpha-emitter radiopharmaceutical therapy and who can attend a participating nuclear medicine center.
Not a fit: People whose cancers are not treated with alpha-emitting drugs or who cannot undergo specialized nuclear imaging are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow doctors to tailor alpha-particle treatments to each patient, lowering side effects and improving cancer control.
How similar studies have performed: Some early imaging methods exist but have been limited by low signal; this is a novel effort to make quantitative SPECT for alpha-emitters reliable and widely usable.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Du, Yong — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Du, Yong
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.