What is theranostics?

Abstract

Targeted radionuclide therapy involves inducing cell death by radiolabeled substances that specifically bind to molecules expressed in target tissues, which allows the substances to accumulate in these tissues. In the past, this treatment has only been used with ¹³¹I for thyroid diseases. However, new preparations with various targets have recently been developed and are now used in clinical practice. These agents are labeled with a diagnostic nuclide, which allows for patient selection and dose assessment in advance. Therefore, unlike conventional chemotherapy or immunotherapy, this therapy uses a combination of therapeutics and diagnostics, and thus, is referred to as theranostics. In the pediatric field, in addition to use in thyroid diseases, ¹³¹I-MIBG for neuroblastoma is being considered for insurance coverage.