AIDER · Advanced Imaging DEtector for targeted Radionuclide therapy

Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) uses radiopharmaceuticals to selectively deliver radiation to cancerous cells at specific target organs. A precise quantification of the radiation dose delivered to lesions and organs at risk is crucial for improving patient treatment safety and reducing related side effects. Imaging systems play a key role in this task although, in many cases, with sub-optimal performance.Alpha-emitting radionuclides are gaining prominence due to their exceptional cytotoxicity. For them, image-based dosimetry is an unmet need as currently used gamma cameras are not effective in the case of these high energy and low activity emitters.The AIDER project aims at developing a specialized imaging tool based on Compton Camera (CC) technology to improve imaging in TRT and to enable image-based dosimetry in targeted alpha therapy. AIDER will optimize existing CC technology by pushing the limits in the system performance through the integration of cutting-edge detectors and electronics. Monte Carlo simulations will guide the system optimization and the development of advanced image reconstruction codes aimed at paving the way for quantitative imaging and thus extending the use of CCs to dosimetry applications. The system developed will be tested in hospitals at three levels to evaluate its performance: from simple tests with 3D printed phantoms to anthropomorphic phantoms specifically designed to reproduce the distribution of radionuclides in the body, and finally with patients undergoing TRT.The consortium integrates most of the main European experts in CCs from different disciplines, including four academic groups, a research-intensive SME, two hospitals, and a patient association. They will collaborate with a focus on significantly improving image quality and sensitivity towards enabling per-treatment imaging as the most effective way to estimate the dose-effect relationship and thus to personalize radionuclide therapies for cancer patients.