The various therapeutic applications of the medical isotope holmium-166: a narrative review.

ABSTRACT: Over the years, a broad spectrum of applications of the radionuclide holmium-166 as a medical isotope has been established. The isotope holmium-166 is attractive as it emits high-energy beta radiation which can be used for a therapeutic effect and gamma radiation which can be used for nuclear imaging purposes. Furthermore, holmium-165 can be visualized by MRI because of its paramagnetic properties and by CT because of its high density. Since holmium-165 has a natural abundance of 100%, the only by-product is metastable holmium-166 and no costly chemical purification steps are necessary for production of nuclear reactor derived holmium-166. Several compounds labelled with holmium-166 are now used in patients, such Ho¹⁶⁶-labelled microspheres for liver malignancies, Ho¹⁶⁶

SUBMITTER: Klaassen NJM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6682843 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature