Effect of metal complexation on the radiolytic stability of DOTA.

Radiometals are increasingly used in nuclear medicine for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The DOTA ligand (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) is widely used as a chelating agent for various radionuclides, including Zr, with high thermodynamic stability constants and great stability. However, in contact with radioisotopes, chelating molecules are subjected to the effects of radiation, which can lead to structural degradation and induce alteration of their complexing properties.