Lanthanide Hydroxide Particle Stability in Medical Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical applications using radioactive lanthanide particles face challenges such as stability in aqueous solutions and biological fluids, limited lanthanide content, and increased neutron activation time, which affect their efficacy and safety for cancer treatment.
Innovation Solution
Development of spherical particles comprising lanthanide hydroxide with high lanthanide content, improved stability, and enhanced specific activity, prepared through a method involving metal particles in a salt solution, stirred to form and recover the particles, which are stable under neutron activation and in biological environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lanthanide particles are used in medical applications, then cancer treatment efficacy is improved, but stability in aqueous solutions and biological fluids deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a lanthanide-containing core (provide radiological function) and a polymer shell (provide stability). The shell comprises polymeric material such as poly(L-lactic acid) or poly(D,L-lactic acid) that forms a protective barrier around the lanthanide particles, preventing aggregation and improving stability in biological environments while maintaining the therapeutic radiological properties of the lanthanide core.
2Quantity of substance
If binder material is reduced to increase lanthanide content, then specific activity is improved, but particle disintegration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the shell material to achieve optimal balance. The shell comprises polymeric material with specific properties (poly(L-lactic acid) or poly(D,L-lactic acid)) that provide sufficient mechanical strength and binding capability to maintain particle integrity even when binder content is minimized, allowing lanthanide content to reach 20 wt% or more while preventing disintegration.
3Measurement precision
If particle size is increased to improve imaging capabilities, then imaging precision is improved, but neutron activation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure with lanthanide core and polymer shell enables optimized particle sizing. The high lanthanide content in the core provides sufficient radiological signal for imaging at smaller particle sizes, eliminating the need for large particles that would require excessive neutron activation time. The shell maintains structural integrity at these optimized smaller sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is directed to a spherical particle comprising lanthanide hydroxide, a method of preparing the particle, the particle for use in medical applications, a suspension, a composition, a method of obtaining a scanning image, and the particle for use in the treatment of a subject.