What is radiopharmaceuticals?

Radiopharmaceuticals or agents are drugs with limited radioactivity, usually used in nuclear medicine, as an alternative to standard radiation therapy for specific cancers, or as a diagnostic tool for better internal imaging of certain organs and arteries They are generally targeted at a specific part of the body, making the treatment more effective This is significantly different from standard radiation for more targets or for the whole body Such drugs are usually very professional and require a lot of relevant equipment and expertise to use Most of the time, it can only be used under the guidance of doctors, and the drug reaction needs to be closely observed Although there are certain risks and safety taboos, but in the case of correct use, this kind of radioactive drug can generally bring ideal results to patients From the production point of view, this kind of medicine is somewhat complex, because it requires not only an active radioactive element, but also a targeted delivery mechanism In most cases, they are formed around a kind of radioisotope that can be injected into the body safely, and then pair with the isotopic carrier molecules to respond to some nerves or other signals in the body After radiopharmaceuticals enter the body and spread to an organ, they begin to interact with organ processes Radioactive materials can be captured by cameras or computers, and the process can be mapped For example, ultrasound can display organ images and show tumors or other abnormalities One of the advantages of nuclear medicine is that it can display the process of glucose metabolism in the organ The most popular nuclear material is an isotope called technetium, the lightest radioactive element used in various nuclear tests Thallium-201 is used for cardiac stress testing Other commonly used nuclear components include indium-111, gallium-67, iodine-123, iodine-131 and enom-133 Such drugs are usually made in specialized laboratories, but the radioactive part of a single dose is relatively small Although specific specifications need to be followed during transportation, they are not considered dangerous in most cases Diagnostic tools most nuclear medicine involves diagnostic tests When radiopharmaceuticals are injected into the body, they emit radiation and can track tracks with special cameras or computers Patients received about the same dose of radiation as regular X-rays, but the information collected was significantly different Non nuclear diagnostic methods such as X-rays and ultrasound show only the size and shape of bones, organs or tumors, while nuclear drugs allow doctors to see how organs work The drug can target almost any body organ and is commonly used in brain scans, bone scans, heart stress tests and thyroid research Prior to the test, the patient took orally, intravenously or inhaled radiopharmaceuticals Radioactive material is very short-lived, either into non radioactive material, or through the body quickly The drug is also often used to treat specific cancers, especially when the disease is found early Radiation from these drugs does not harm normal growing cells, but can destroy cells that grow too fast When injected into tumors, they can kill harmful cells without disturbing surrounding tissues For example, a compound called radioiodine (I-131) is used to effectively treat thyroid cancer because it can destroy thyroid tumors without damaging the body This is in sharp contrast to standard radiation therapy that affects healthy cells Compared with most conventional drugs, these drugs often have serious side effects and adverse reactions, but this is related to the nature of drug treatment Skin allergy, red blood cell reduction and general habit fatigue are the most common reactions Swelling and nausea at the injection site are also common In most cases, pregnant women cannot receive this treatment to avoid risks to the fetus.