Preclinical photon minibeam radiotherapy using a custom collimator: Dosimetry characterization and preliminary in-vivo results on a glioma model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric characteristics of a collimator for minibeam radiotherapy (MBRT) with film dosimetry and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The outcome of MBRT with respect to conventional RT using a glioma preclinical model was also evaluated.

Methods: A multi-slit collimator was designed to be used with commercial small animal irradiator.

From Nanothermometry to Bioimaging: Lanthanide-Activated KYF Nanostructures as Biocompatible Multifunctional Tools for Nanomedicine.

Lanthanide-activated fluoride-based nanostructures are extremely interesting multifunctional tools for many modern applications in nanomedicine, e.g., bioimaging, sensing, drug delivery, and photodynamic therapy.

Tc-Radiolabeled Silica Nanocarriers for Targeted Detection and Treatment of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

Introduction: The overexpression of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) is usually associated with aggressive and infiltrating breast cancer (BC) phenotype, and metastases. Functionalized silica-based nanocarriers (SiNPs) can be labeled for in vivo imaging applications and loaded with chemotherapy drugs, making possible the simultaneous noninvasive diagnosis and treatment (theranostic) for HER2-positive BC.

Methods: Firstly, FITC-filled SiNPs, were engineered with two different amounts of Hc-TZ (trastuzumab half-chain) per single nanoparticle (1:2 and 1:8, SiNPs to Hc-TZ ratio), which was Tc-radiolabeled at histidine residues for ex vivo and in vivo biodistribution evaluations.

Nanoparticles for Cerenkov and Radioluminescent Light Enhancement for Imaging and Radiotherapy.

Cerenkov luminescence imaging and Cerenkov photodynamic therapy have been developed in recent years to exploit the Cerenkov radiation (CR) generated by radioisotopes, frequently used in Nuclear Medicine, to diagnose and fight cancer lesions. For in vivo detection, the endpoint energy of the radioisotope and, thus, the total number of the emitted Cerenkov photons, represents a very important variable and explains why, for example, Ga is better than F. However, it was also found that the scintillation process is an important mechanism for light production.

Tandem Dye-Doped Nanoparticles for NIR Imaging via Cerenkov Resonance Energy Transfer.

The detection of the Cerenkov radiation (CR) is an emerging preclinical imaging technique which allows monitoring the distribution of radionuclides. Among its possible advantages, the most interesting is the simplicity and cost of the required instrumentation compared, e.g.

Cerenkov and radioluminescence imaging of brain tumor specimens during neurosurgery.

We presented the first example of Cerenkov luminescence imaging (CLI) and radioluminescence imaging (RLI) of human tumor specimens. A patient with a brain meningioma localized in the left parietal region was injected with 166 MBq of 90Y-DOTATOC the day before neurosurgery. The specimens of the tumor removed during surgery were imaged using both CLI and RLI using an optical imager prototype developed in our laboratory.

First human Cerenkography.

Cerenkov luminescence imaging is an emerging optical preclinical modality based on the detection of Cerenkov radiation induced by beta particles when traveling though biological tissues with a velocity greater than the speed of light. We present the first human Cerenkography obtained by detecting Cerenkov radiation escaping the thyroid gland of a patient treated for hyperthyroidism. The Cerenkov light was detected using an electron multiplied charge coupled device and a conventional C-mount lens.

Contouring variability of the penile bulb on CT images: quantitative assessment using a generalized concordance index.

Purpose: Within a multicenter study (DUE-01) focused on the search of predictors of erectile dysfunction and urinary toxicity after radiotherapy for prostate cancer, a dummy run exercise on penile bulb (PB) contouring on computed tomography (CT) images was carried out. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess interobserver contouring variability by the application of the generalized DICE index.

Methods And Materials: Fifteen physicians from different Institutes drew the PB on CT images of 10 patients.