Radiotheranostics - a Primer for Medical Physicists I Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Clinical Applications

This book covers scientific, clinical, and educational aspects of radiotheranostics in cancer control. Setting the framework, the first volume defines radiotheranostics and describes the history of radionuclide therapy and theranostics, and the biology of cancer. It examines the clinical applications of unconjugated radionuclides, such as 131I and 223Ra, and of radionuclide-conjugated cancer-specific vectors: peptides, small molecules, antibodies, and nanoparticles; introduces clinical trials and drug development; and reviews epidemiological studies and the adverse effects of radionuclide therapy - both, radiation injuries and chemical toxicity. It presents the chemistry and physics of radionuclide production, discusses radioactivity measurements and traceability, and addresses various instrumentation aspects: calibration, quantitative imaging, and quality control. Volume I ends by considering the education, training, and competence of the radiotheranostic multidisciplinary team and summarizing the most important physics characteristics of theranostics today - including many to be expanded in the second volume - while offering a glimpse into tomorrow. These topics will provide the foundation for the second volume to cover the dosimetric and radiation safety aspects, aiming to empower medical physicists to demonstrate to the cancer community how to improve cancer control and yield longer patient survival times.