Assessment of dosimetry in oncological treatment using radioactive nanoparticles

Abstract

Introduction: With technological advances in medicine, various treatments and diagnoses have emerged, contributing to extended survival for cancer patients. In the ever-evolving landscape of nanotechnology and medicine, radioactive nanoparticles emerge as promising agents at the interface of diagnosis and therapy, offering innovative applications in the field of theranostic medicine capable of integrating both diagnosis and therapy in a single device. With this purpose, this study aims to conduct a literature review on the dosimetry of radioactive nanoparticles, intending to evaluate their feasibility for oncological treatment. Materials & Methods: The bibliographic study exclusively focuses on works related to the dosimetry of radioactive nanoparticles. The selection involved relevant topics on the Scopus platform (Elsevier), such as dosimetry, in vivo tests, and preclinical studies involving radioactive nanoparticles. Results: Out of 113 selectedworks, 51, 24, and 38 address dosimetry, in vivo tests, and preclinical studies of radioactive nanoparticles, respectively. Due to the scarcity of research, all articles were analyzed, excluding those less cited and less relevant to the objective. Most studies suggest viability as a treatment, although some do not detail the dose calculation in the target region. Summary: This work provides studies on the dosimetry of radioactive nanoparticles, highlighting a broad distribution of research. While the treatment shows promising viability, gaps persist, especially in describing the precise calculation of the dose in the target region, pointing to opportunities for future research to address this issue.