Abstract:
The purpose of this historical review is to trace the application of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis of tumors and treatment of cancer in the past half a century in Japan. Positron Emission Tomography?PET?using 18F labelled fluorodeoxyglucose (a radioactive glucose analog) has been playing an important role in clinical oncology covering 40 % of 700,000 nuclear imaging procedures performed in a year in Japan. Since PET/CT devices became commercially available in 2001, increased numbers of PET images are obtained through dual-modality PET/CT imaging to reach more than 90 % of PET imagingat present. The original trials of combining PET (functional image) and CT (anatomical image) were performed in Gunma University Hospital during the year 1983-1997, which will be described in detail. Nuclear medicine procedures cause internal exposures to patients. Radiation dosimetry caused by internal radiation sources is unique and important especially in radiopharmaceutical therapy. The system of radiological protection recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) will be described together with some difficulties for applying to theranostics in nuclear medicine.
Biography:
Yasuhito Sasaki M.D. Ph.D. Fellow SNMMI was born in1937 in Tokyo Japan, graduated from School of Medicine the University of Tokyo in 1963. He is now directing Radiological Research Division, Shonan Research Institute of Innovative Medicine of Shonan Kamakura General Hospital in Japan, which is affiliated to Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University. He also serves as Consultant for Radiation Effects Association.
Dr. Sasaki was trained as internist and specialized in Nuclear Medicine at the University of Tokyo and Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, U.S.A. In his professional career of 60 years as Nuclear Medicine Physician Dr. Sasaki has chaired departments of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at several universities including Gunma University and the University of Tokyo. Later he has served as Director General of National Institute of Radiological Sciences. Dr. Sasaki has severed to ICRP, UNSCEAR and Radiation Council of Japan. He has contributed to the promotion of Nuclear Medicine in Japan, Asia and the World. He received Presidential Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine in 2000 for his contribution to the collaborative activities of SNM and JSNM in addition to other distinguished honors and awards including The Order of the Sacred Treasure Gold and Silver Star decorated by Emperor Akihito (2007), Honorable Recognition of Contributor to Disaster Prevention by the Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda (2008) and the 13th Nagasaki Dr. Nagai Peace Memorial Prize Award (2021).
