# EFFECTS OF LOW ENERGY ELECTRONS FROM AUGER PROCESSES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF MED/DENT OF NJ-NJ MEDICAL SCHOOL · 1988 · $156,938

## Abstract

Several radionuclides decaying by electron capture (EC) and internal
conversion (IC) are widely used for imaging in Nuclear Medicine.  Such
radionuclides also emit numerous low and very low energy Auger electrons,
and may cause extensive damage in biological systems, similar to the case
of 125I.  It is proposed to study the radiotoxicity of several commonly
used radionuclides in vivo in experimental mice.  Spermatogenesis will be
used as a model to observe any excessive damage caused by the low energy
electrons from the incorporated radionuclides.  Comparison with the effects
of beta-decaying radionuclides of the same element give the relative
biological effectiveness (RBE) of the incorporated EC and IC
radionuclides.  Such information may be useful to estimate better a
realistic radiation dose to the germ cells in the gonads of the patient
from the clinical procedures.  The observed RBE values may be considerably
higher than l if highly localized energy deposition by the low energy
electrons plays an important role.  Completed studies give RBE of about 3.5
for 20lT lambda relative to 204T lambda.  To understand the RBE values,
autoradiographic and other studies will be conducted to determine the
distribution of the radionuclides; theoretical Auger and Coster-Kronig
electron spectra will be calculated; and appropriate dosimetric models will
be developed.
The low energy Auger electrons also offer new possibilities not yet
explored.  Using radiolabeled DNA-seeking chemotherapeutic agents such as
cis-platimum, it is proposed to investigate in mouse tumor models possible
enhancement of therapeutic efficacy with reduced chemotoxicity of the drug.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3170758
- **Project number:** 5R01CA032877-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MED/DENT OF NJ-NJ MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** DANDAMUDI V RAO
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $156,938
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1982-05-01 → 1991-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3170758

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3170758, EFFECTS OF LOW ENERGY ELECTRONS FROM AUGER PROCESSES (5R01CA032877-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3170758. Licensed CC0.

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