Methods for Radiolabelling Nanoparticles: SPECT Use (Part 1)

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) is rapidly increasing in nuclear medicine (NM) for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Their wide use is due to their chemical-physical characteristics and possibility to deliver several molecules. NPs can be synthetised by organic and/or inorganic materials and they can have different size, shape, chemical composition, and charge. These factors influence their biodistribution, clearance, and targeting ability in vivo. NPs can be designed to encapsulate inside the core or bind to the surface several molecules, including radionuclides, for different clinical applications. Either diagnostic or therapeutic radioactive NPs can be synthetised, making a so-called theragnostic tool. To date, there are several methods for radiolabelling NPs that vary depending on both the physical and chemical properties of the NPs and on the isotope used. In this review, we analysed and compared different methods for radiolabelling NPs for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) use.