Journal article
A Phase 0 Imaging Trial of [ 203 Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET to Enable Dosimetry and Treatment Planning for Refractory or Relapsed Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumors with [ 212 Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET
The Journal of nuclear medicine (1978)
02/05/2026
DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.125.270083
PMCID: PMC13041586
PMID: 41644295
Abstract
Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) using α-particle emitters has potential to provide improved patient outcomes over those achieved with β-particle PRRT. A promising candidate radiopharmaceutical pair, PSC-PEG
-TOC (VMT-α-NET) conjugated to
Pb for SPECT/CT imaging or
Pb for α-PRRT, is currently in early-phase clinical trials for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Here, we present the imaging and dosimetry characteristics of this theranostic approach.
A phase 0 imaging trial of [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET was conducted between January and December of 2023. Ten participants with somatostatin receptor type 2 (SSTR2)-positive NETs underwent SPECT/CT and blood sampling at 1, 4, 24, and 48 h after intravenous infusion of approximately 185 MBq of [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET. The diagnostic performance of [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET was evaluated through lesion-by-lesion comparison against baseline SSTR2 PET/CT. A subset of lesions was further analyzed for signal-to-noise ratio to determine the optimal diagnostic imaging time point after [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET administration. Patient-specific dosimetry of [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET was derived from
Pb imaging and performed assuming local α- and β-particle energy deposition in tumors and normal organs. Effects of daughter ion relocation were considered using a whole-body pharmacokinetic model on the basis of parameters published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.
Of the 162 total lesions identified on SSTR2 PET/CT scans, only 97 were detected on [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET SPECT/CT. The highest signal-to-noise ratio for lesions occurred 4 h after [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET administration. Sensitivity was 94% for lesions larger than 1 cm versus 35% for lesions no larger than 1 cm or nonmeasurable lesions. The effective dose associated with [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET administration was 0.038 mSv/MBq (1.40 mSv/mCi). Estimated dosimetry for [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET (mean ± SD, not adjusted for relative biologic effectiveness) based on [
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET SPECT/CT was 15 ± 4.7 mGy/MBq for the kidneys, 8.4 ± 4.1 mGy/MBq for the spleen, 2.5 ± 0.8 mGy/MBq for the liver, 0.324 ± 0.108 mGy/MBq for the blood, 0.270 ± 0.081 mGy/MBq for the whole body, and 29.6 ± 25.8 mGy/MBq for tumors. Renal absorbed dose projections for
Pb were estimated to carry an overall standard uncertainty (
= 1) of 15.3%.
[
Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET appears to be a safe and effective SPECT/CT tracer for imaging NETs larger than 1 cm and for normal organ and tumor radiation dosimetry. The chemically matched
/
Pb theranostic pair offers the potential for a dosimetry-driven personalized treatment paradigm.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A Phase 0 Imaging Trial of [ 203 Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET to Enable Dosimetry and Treatment Planning for Refractory or Relapsed Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumors with [ 212 Pb]Pb-VMT-α-NET
- Creators
- Stephen A Graves - University of IowaDavid L Bushnell - University of IowaMichael K Schultz - University of IowaSanchay Jain - University of IowaKellie L Bodeker - University of IowaYusuf Menda - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of nuclear medicine (1978)
- DOI
- 10.2967/jnumed.125.270083
- PMID
- 41644295
- PMCID
- PMC13041586
- NLM abbreviation
- J Nucl Med
- ISSN
- 0161-5505
- eISSN
- 1535-5667
- Publisher
- SNMMI
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 02/05/2026
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiology; Radiation Oncology
- Record Identifier
- 9985139489802771
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