Metal-Based Drugs 
Volume 4 (1997), Issue 3, Pages 153-158
doi:10.1155/MBD.1997.153

Radiometals in Diagnosis and Therapy

James F. Burke

Healthcare Research and Development, Amersham International plc, Amersham Laboratories, Bucks, Amersham HP7 9LL, UK

Abstract

Radiometals are the mainstay of both diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine because the choice of radionuclide is primarily dictated by nuclear decay characteristics rather than chemistry. T99mc is the most frequently used diagnostic radionuclide and requires coordination in a diversity of chemical disguises to permit imaging of a variety of tissues and disease states. Therapeutic nuclear medicine is less advanced but can provide significant benefits provided the radionuclide is accurately targetted.