An injectable double-crosslinking iodinated composite hydrogel as a potential radioprotective spacer with durable...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Radiotherapy Physics
• Oncology

Background:

• Prostate cancer radiotherapy risks rectal radiation damage due to organ proximity.
• Injectable hydrogels are promising spacers but current options have limitations.
• A need exists for improved hydrogel spacers with enhanced functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel injectable hydrogel spacer for prostate cancer radiotherapy.
• To incorporate imaging capabilities for enhanced monitoring.
• To evaluate the hydrogel's performance, safety, and degradation characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hydrogel from carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), aldehyde guar gum (AG), and aldehyde iohexol (DHQ).
• Creation of a double-crosslinking network for controlled degradation and strength.
• In vivo subcutaneous injection in rats to assess gelation, radiation attenuation, imaging, and toxicity.

Main Results:

• The novel hydrogel demonstrated rapid in vivo gelation and served effectively as a spacer.
• Significant radiation dose attenuation was observed.
• Sustainable CT imaging function and excellent toxicity profiles were confirmed over a month.
• The double-crosslinking network provided controlled degradation and high strength.

Conclusions:

• The developed CMC-AG-DHQ hydrogel is a promising candidate for rectal protection during prostate cancer radiotherapy.
• Its integrated imaging function and favorable safety profile address limitations of existing spacers.
• This innovative biomaterial shows potential for improving clinical outcomes in radiotherapy.