Therapeutic radiometals: Worldwide scientific literature trend analysis (2008–2018)

Academic journals have published a large number of papers in the therapeutic nuclear medicine (NM) research field in the last 10 years. Despite this, a literature analysis has never before been made to point out the research interest in therapeutic radionuclides (RNs). For this reason, the present study aims specifically to analyze the research output on therapeutic radiometals from 2008 to 2018, with intent to quantify and identify global trends in scientific literature and emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of this research field. The data search targeted conventional ( 131 I, 90 Y, 177 Lu, 188 Re, 186 Re, 153 Sm, 89 Sr, 186 Er) and emergent ( 67 Cu, 47 Sc, 223 Ra, 166 Ho, 161 Tb, 149 Tb, 212 Pb/ 212 Bi, 225 Ac, 213 Bi, 211 At, 117m Sn) RNs. Starting from this time frame, authors have analyzed and interpreted this scientific trend quantitatively first, and qualitatively after.