Masters Theses
Date of Award
8-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major
Nuclear Engineering
Major Professor
Chester R. Ramsey
Committee Members
Elizabeth D. Barker, Michael E. Howard, Sandra Davern
Abstract
The development of localized and targeted cancer therapies has become a promising cancer treatment. These localized treatments achieve greater therapeutic effectiveness and tumor control while minimizing conventional therapies' associated toxicities and side effects. Moreover, targeted radionuclide therapy has become more prominent in the past decade for its capabilities to deliver high radiation doses to the tumor site and limit radiation exposure to surrounding normal tissues. Thus, the pre gelled starch-based hydrogels were evaluated as a radionuclide delivery vehicle.
The investigation of the hydrogels as a delivery mechanism for targeted radionuclide therapy evaluated the encapsulation efficiency of cerium chloride and radioactive cerium and optimized the loading conditions (i.e., speed, temperature, time, hydrogel weight, solution volume). Non-radiological studies were initially conducted to define the initial standard conditions for static and dynamic reactions. Cerium chloride was used in various solvents, and its concentration was determined using Ultraviolet Visible Spectroscopy. The more significant loading of starch-based hydrogel was obtained with 5 μL of 100 mM cerium chloride at 40°C and 15000 rpm for 30 min. Based on the previous conditions, the radiological experiments further developed and optimized radionuclide loading within pre- gelled starch-based hydrogels.
The radiological studies enabled further analysis of solution and hydrogel conditions because of its lower detection limit using the High Purity Germanium Detector and Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy system. Using cerium radionuclides, a 90% encapsulation efficiency was obtained when formulated with 1 μL of radioactive cerium solution, 200 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide-based hydrogel at 40°C and 15000 rpm for 30 min.
Both studies highlighted the ability of pre-gelled samples to be loaded with cerium surrogates and radionuclides. Additionally, diffusion of the cerium particles was evaluated and concluded the hydrogel’s ability to hold the cerium chloride and cerium radionuclides.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Anna Lixian, "Starch-Based Hydrogel for Administration of Radiotherapeutic Anticancer Agents. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2024.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/11794