Surrogate microspheres for TARE: from 99mTc-MAA SPECT to multimodal AI-guided dosimetry

Next-generation transarterial radioembolization (TARE) surrogates—biodegradable, PET/CT/MRI-visible microspheres plus AI/deep learning and Monte Carlo dosimetry—may improve pre-treatment liver dose prediction beyond standard 99mTc-MAA SPECT.

• 99mTc-MAA remains the clinical SPECT surrogate standard, but its physicochemical differences from therapeutic microspheres limit dosimetric reliability.
• Biodegradable polymeric microspheres can mimic therapeutic particles and allow post-procedural arterial recanalization.
• Theranostic PET/CT/MRI-visible surrogates, combined with AI/deep learning segmentation and Monte Carlo simulations, support voxel-based pre-treatment dosimetry.

Automated summary

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