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You are here : 3-RX.com > Drugs & Medications > Detailed Drug Information (USP DI) > Radiopharmaceuticals

Radiopharmaceuticals (Diagnostic)

Description and Brand Names | Before Using | Precautions | Side Effects

Description

Radiopharmaceuticals (ray-dee-oh-far-ma-SOO-ti-kals) are agents used to diagnose certain medical problems or treat certain diseases. They may be given to the patient in several different ways. For example, they may be given by mouth, given by injection, or placed into the eye or into the bladder.

These radiopharmaceuticals are used in the diagnosis of:

Abscess and infection - Gallium Citrate Ga 67, Indium In 111 Oxyquinoline
Biliary tract blockage - Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin, Technetium Tc 99m Lidofenin, Technetium Tc 99m Mebrofenin
Blood volume studies - Radioiodinated Albumin, Sodium Chromate Cr 51
Blood vessel diseases - Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m
Blood vessel diseases of the brain - Ammonia N 13, Iofetamine I 123, Technetium Tc 99m Bicisate, Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime, Xenon Xe 133
Bone diseases - Sodium Fluoride F 18, Technetium Tc 99m Medronate, Technetium Tc 99m Oxidronate, Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate, Technetium Tc 99m (Pyro- and trimeta-) Phosphates
Bone marrow diseases - Sodium Chromate Cr 51, Technetium Tc 99m Albumin Colloid, Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Brain diseases and tumors - Fludeoxyglucose F 18, Indium In 111 Pentetreotide, Iofetamine I 123, Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m, Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime, Technetium Tc 99m Gluceptate, Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
Cancer; tumors - Fludeoxyglucose F 18, Gallium Citrate Ga 67, Indium In 111 Pentetreotide, Indium In 111 Satumomab Pendetide, Methionine C 11, Radioiodinated Iobenguane, Sodium Fluoride F 18, Technetium Tc 99m Arcitumomab, Technetium Tc 99m Nofetumomab Merpentan
Colorectal disease - Technetium Tc 99m Arcitumomab
Disorders of iron metabolism and absorption - Ferrous Citrate Fe 59
Heart disease - Ammonia N 13, Fludeoxyglucose F 18, Rubidium Rb 82, Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m, Technetium Tc 99m Albumin, Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi, Technetium Tc 99m Teboroxime, Technetium Tc 99m Tetrofosmin, Thallous Chloride Tl 201
Heart muscle damage (infarct) - Ammonia N 13, Fludeoxyglucose F 18, Rubidium Rb 82, Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate, Technetium Tc 99m (Pyro- and trimeta-) Phosphates, Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi, Technetium Tc 99m Teboroxime, Technetium Tc 99m Tetrofosmin, Thallous Chloride Tl 201
Impaired flow of cerebrospinal fluid in brain - Indium In 111 Pentetate
Kidney diseases - Iodohippurate Sodium I 123, Iodohippurate Sodium I 131, Iothalamate Sodium I 125, Technetium Tc 99m Gluceptate, Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide, Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate, Technetium Tc 99m Succimer
Liver diseases - Ammonia N 13, Fludeoxyglucose F 18, Technetium Tc 99m Albumin Colloid, Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin, Technetium Tc 99m Lidofenin, Technetium Tc 99m Mebrofenin, Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Lung diseases - Krypton Kr 81m, Technetium Tc 99m Albumin Aggregated, Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate, Xenon Xe 127, Xenon Xe 133
Parathyroid diseases; parathyroid cancer - Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi, Thallous Chloride Tl 201
Pernicious anemia; improper absorption of vitamin B ₁₂ from intestines - Cyanocobalamin Co 57
Red blood cell diseases - Sodium Chromate Cr 51
Salivary gland diseases - Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m
Spleen diseases - Sodium Chromate Cr 51, Technetium Tc 99m Albumin Colloid, Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Stomach and intestinal bleeding - Sodium Chromate Cr 51, Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m, Technetium Tc 99m (Pyro- and trimeta-) Phosphates, Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Stomach problems - Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Tear duct blockage - Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m
Thyroid diseases; thyroid cancer - Fludeoxyglucose F 18, Indium In 111 Pentetreotide, Radioiodinated Iobenguane, Sodium Iodide I 123, Sodium Iodide I 131, Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m, Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi
Urinary bladder diseases - Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive agents. However, when small amounts are used, the radiation your body receives from them is very low and is considered safe. When larger amounts of these agents are given to treat disease, there may be different effects on the body.

When radiopharmaceuticals are used to help diagnose medical problems, only small amounts are given to the patient. The radiopharmaceutical then passes through, or is taken up by, an organ of the body (which organ depends on what radiopharmaceutical is used and how it has been given). Then the radioactivity is detected, and pictures are produced, by special imaging equipment. These pictures allow the nuclear medicine doctor to study how the organ is working and to detect cancer or tumors that may be present in the organ.

Some radiopharmaceuticals are used in larger amounts to treat certain kinds of cancer and other diseases. In those cases, the radioactive agent is taken up in the cancerous area and destroys the affected tissue. The information that follows applies only to radiopharmaceuticals when used in small amounts to diagnose medical problems .

The dosages of radiopharmaceuticals that are used to diagnose medical problems will be different for different patients and depend on the type of test. The amount of radioactivity of a radiopharmaceutical is expressed in units called becquerels or curies. Radiopharmaceutical dosages given may be as small as 0.185 megabecquerels (5 microcuries) or as high as 1295 megabecquerels (35 millicuries). The radiation received from these dosages may be about the same as, or even less than, the radiation received from an x-ray study of the same organ.

Radiopharmaceuticals are to be given only by or under the direct supervision of a doctor with specialized training in nuclear medicine.

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		Radiopharmaceuticals: Before Using

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Radiopharmaceuticals (Diagnostic)

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Description