Lutetium-177

Lutetium-177 (^177Lu) is a radioisotope of lutetium commonly used in nuclear medicine for the treatment of various types of cancer. It is a beta emitter with a half-life of 6.647 days.

Production

^177Lu is produced by neutron activation of ^176Lu. The process involves the bombardment of a ^176Lu target with neutrons in a nuclear reactor, resulting in the production of ^177Lu.

Medical Use

In nuclear medicine, ^177Lu is used in the form of ^177Lu-DOTA-TATE for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors. It is also used in the form of ^177Lu-PSMA-617 for the treatment of prostate cancer. These treatments work by delivering a high dose of radiation directly to the cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues.

Safety

As with all radiopharmaceuticals, the use of ^177Lu must be carefully controlled to minimize the risk of radiation exposure to patients and healthcare workers. This includes the use of appropriate shielding and handling techniques, as well as careful monitoring of radiation levels.

See Also

• Nuclear medicine
• Radiopharmaceutical
• Radiotherapy
• Cancer treatment