[1] Many related ligands are referred to using the DOTA acronym, although these derivatives are generally not tetracarboxylic acids or the conjugate bases.

[2] At the time of its discovery DOTA exhibited the largest known formation constant for the complexation (chelating) of Ca2+ and Gd3+ ions.

The main applications involve the lanthanides and in such complexes DOTA functions as an octadentate ligand, binding the metal through four amine and four carboxylate groups.

Drugs containing this module receive an International Nonproprietary Name ending in tetraxetan:[5] DOTA can also be linked to molecules that have affinity for various structures.

The resulting compounds are used with a number of radioisotopes in cancer therapy and diagnosis (for example in positron emission tomography).