What are Radiopharmaceuticals?

Radiopharmaceuticals (RP) or Radioligands (RL) are a class of drugs that contain radioactive isotopes and are used for diagnosis or treatment of diseases, primarily in oncology, cardiology, and neurology.

There are two main types:

Diagnostic RP/RL

• Emit gamma rays (e.g., Technetium-99m) or positrons (e.g., Fluorine-18)

• Used in imaging techniques like PET or SPECT scans

• Help visualize organs, detect tumors, or track biological processes in real time

Therapeutic RP/RL

• Emit alpha or beta particles (e.g., Lutetium-177, Actinium-225, Lead-212)

• Deliver targeted radiation to destroy diseased cells (e.g., cancer) while minimizing damage to healthy tissue

In oncology, RPs/RLs have become important tools because they:

• Enable precise imaging of tumors: Radioisotopes emitting gamma rays or positrons (like ¹⁸F or ⁹⁹ᵐTc) allow clinicians to visualize cancer using PET or SPECT scans, detect micrometastases, and assess tumor burden.

• Deliver targeted therapy: Therapeutic RPs/RLs carry alpha- or beta-emitting isotopes (like ²¹²Pb, ¹³¹I, or ¹⁷⁷Lu) directly to cancer cells, sparing surrounding healthy tissues.

• Overcome tumor heterogeneity: Since they can target molecular markers even in hard-to-reach or heterogeneous tumors, they’re effective where traditional therapies may fail.

RPs/RLs thus support precision medicine - diagnosing, staging, and treating cancer with minimal invasiveness and maximal specificity.