177Lu-DOTATATE Therapy: Effects of Water Intake and Drinking Duration on Patient Peripheral Dose Equivalent Rates

Abstract This study investigated the amount and duration of water consumption in neuroendocrine tumor patients after receiving 177 Lu-DOTATATE radionuclide therapy. We recruited 39 patients with neuroendocrine tumors, all of whom were treated with 177 Lu-DOTATATE radionuclide while in the nuclear medicine ward of a tertiary hospital in Nanjing from January 2021 to April 2022. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate their drinking times, water consumption, and urine volumes at 0 min, 30 min, 60 min, 2 h, 24 h, and 48 h after radionuclide treatment. At each timepoint, their radiation dose equivalent rates were monitored at 0 m, 1 m, and 2 m from the middle abdomen. f at 24 h were significantly lower than those at 0 min, 30 min, 60 min, and 2 h (all p < 0.05). The dose equivalent rates at 48 h were significantly lower than those at 24 h (all p < 0.05). At 1 m or 2 m from the patient, the dose equivalent rate gradually decreased at all six timepoints and was significantly different between groups ( P < 0.05). To achieve lower radiation doses, there was a correlation with 24 h water consumption (P < 0.05) but no correlation with 48 h water consumption (P > 0.05); there were lower peripheral dose equivalents for patients when 24 h water consumption was no less than 2,750 mL. Patients with neuroendocrine tumors should drink at least 2,750 mL of water 24 h after treatment with 177 Lu-DOTATATE radionuclides. Drinking water in the first 24 h after treatment is more critical to reduce the peripheral dose equivalent, which can accelerate the reduction of peripheral radiation dose equivalent in early patients.