REVIEW ABOUT RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS: PREPARATION, RADIOACTIVITY, AND APPLICATIONS

Shomokh Alsharef,Mashael Alanazi,Dana Qandil,Fatimah Alharthi,Mona Qushawy

doi:10.22159/ijap.2020v12i3.37150

Shomokh Alsharef, Mashael Alanazi + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijap.2020v12i3.37150

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Abstract

In the recent few decades, there was a growth in the field of radioactive medicinal agents called radiopharmaceuticals. Radiopharmaceuticals are consisting of radioactive materials called radioisotopes. Radiopharmaceuticals were recently used in both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. More than 100 radioactive substances are used in nuclear medicine. According to the decay of radioactive substances, there are three types of radioactive decays, alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma radiations. Alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons with large mass and charge so it has no penetration power into the skin and has a destructive effect. Beta particles have less charge and less mass so, they can penetrate the tissue and have a less destructive effect than alpha particles and can be used in therapy. Gamma radiations have no mass or charge so they can penetrate the deep tissue of organs so used in diagnosis by imaging using a gamma camera. The radiopharmaceuticals were established in the diagnostic purpose and treatment of several diseases as thyroid gland cancer, hyperthyroidism, bone pain metastasis, kidney dysfunction, and myocardial and cerebral perfusion. The radioactive substance can also be used in the sterilization of thermo-labile substances as syringes, catheters, vitamins, hormones, and surgical dressing. The field of nuclear medicine has several advantages as localization of tumors, safe diagnosis, no accumulation of radiation, and high therapeutic efficacy. Nowadays, the branch of nuclear pharmacy is directed to introduce new radioactive pharmaceutical agents which will be important and effective in the treatment of cancer. The growth in the field of radiopharmaceuticals is important to help millions of patients suffering from tumors all over the world. The data of this review were collected by searching in Google Scholar and PubMed using the following keywords.

Highlights

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive substances used in the fields of diagnosis and therapy [1]
There are more than 100 radioactive agents which used for therapeutic purpose as in localization of tumors, hyperthyroidism [3], toxic diffuse goiter [4], bone pain related to skeletal metastasis [5], cerebral perfusion [6]
The aim of this review is to introduce valuable information about the safe and effective use of radiopharmaceuticals in the fields of diagnosis and therapy

Summary

Introduction

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive substances used in the fields of diagnosis and therapy [1]. Beta (β) Like electron emitted from the radionuclide β− or β+, Less than alpha particle can’t be used for diagnosis but used for therapy Not suitable These procedures are done using the prepared radiopharmaceuticals and the imaging equipment for the diagnosis of a different disease or in treatment targets [41].

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