Carbon Microspheres for Simultaneous Tumor Treatment and PET Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radioactive microsphere products for minimally invasive treatments of solid tumors, such as liver and prostate cancer, provide low-quality imaging due to the use of pure beta nuclides like yttrium-90, making it difficult to accurately visualize and monitor the distribution and therapeutic efficacy of the treatment.
Innovation Solution
A visualized radioactive carbon microsphere suspension is developed, utilizing carbon microspheres with high-energy beta-ray emission and zirconium-89 for PET imaging, allowing for simultaneous treatment and imaging without the need for additional contrast agents, achieved by loading carbon microspheres with yttrium-90, lutetium, holmium, or samarium for treatment and zirconium-89 for imaging, and preparing them in a biocompatible solution for uniform distribution in tumor tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pure beta nuclides like yttrium-90 are used for radioactive microsphere treatment, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but imaging quality deteriorates making it difficult to visualize and monitor treatment distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines therapeutic function (yttrium-90 beta radiation) and imaging function (zirconium-89 positron emission) into a single microsphere system. The dual-labeled microspheres simultaneously provide high-energy beta-ray emission for tumor treatment and positron emission for PET imaging, eliminating the need for separate diagnostic and therapeutic agents
Solution Approach 2:
The radioactive microsphere is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both a therapeutic agent delivering beta radiation to kill tumor cells and a diagnostic agent emitting positrons for PET imaging. This multi-functional design allows one agent to replace both traditional separate therapeutic and diagnostic components
2Measurement precision
If additional contrast agents are used to improve imaging quality, then visualization is enhanced, but device complexity and treatment procedure complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The radioactive microsphere serves as a universal agent that inherently provides both therapeutic and diagnostic functions. The zirconium-89 label embedded in the microsphere structure enables PET imaging without requiring any additional contrast agents or separate imaging procedures, simplifying the overall treatment protocol
3Adaptability or versatility
If radioactive nuclides for treatment and imaging are loaded on the same carrier, then simultaneous treatment and imaging is achieved, but loading stability and efficiency deteriorate due to different chemical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different loading strategies to different nuclides based on their chemical properties. Yttrium-90 is loaded via surface adsorption on the carbon microsphere, while zirconium-89 is incorporated during the carbonization process. This differentiated approach ensures stable loading for each nuclide according to its specific chemical characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The microsphere uses a composite structure combining carbon material with radioactive nuclide labels. The carbon matrix provides a stable platform that can accommodate different types of radioactive nuclides with varying chemical properties, maintaining loading stability through the unique carbonization process that incorporates zirconium-89 into the carbon structure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables high-quality PET/CT imaging and effective treatment of solid tumors, with a loading rate of over 98% and release rate of less than 0.1%, allowing for real-time monitoring and improved therapeutic outcomes for tumors like liver, pancreatic, and breast cancers.
Implementation Method 1
zirconium [ 89Zr] positron for PET imaging
Implementation Method 2
radioactive nuclides for treatment... yttrium [ 90Y] high-energy beta-ray emission for solid tumor treatment
Implementation Method 3
the radioactive nuclides for treatment in the above mixed solution is adsorbed by using carbon microspheres
Data Source
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AI summary
A visualized radioactive carbon microsphere suspension, and a preparation method and application thereof, relating to the technical field of medicines. Every 1 ml of the visualized radioactive carbon microsphere suspension comprises: 10-500 mg of carbon microspheres, 5-500 mCi of activity of radioactive nuclides for treatment, 0.1-100 mCi of activity of radioactive nuclides for imaging, 0-100 mg of small organic molecules, and 0.1-1.0 ml of a first solution. The preparation method mainly comprises: adsorbing, by using the carbon microspheres, small organic molecules, radioactive nuclides for treatment, and zirconium [89Zr] for imaging. The visualized radioactive carbon microsphere suspension can achieve local radioactive treatment and real-time imaging for solid tumor lesions at the same time to achieve visualized treatment of tumors. A novel radioactive carbon microsphere product integrating diagnosis and treatment is provided.