Table 3 Overview of radiopharmaceuticals

¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG)

Visualization of increased glucose metabolism / inflammatory activity [36]

¹⁸F-3′-fluoro-3′-deoxy-L-thymidine (¹⁸F-FLT)

Visualization of DNA-synthesis / cellular proliferation [37]

Labeled colloids

^99mTc, ¹⁹⁸Au, ^113mIn

Visualization of reticuloendothelial system / medullary stroma [25, 39]

¹¹¹In-Chloride (¹¹¹In-Cl3)

Visualization of erythropoietic activity [39]

Labeled iron

⁵⁹Fe, ⁵²Fe

Visualization of erythropoietic marrow [40, 45]

Labeled red blood cells (RBC’s)

^99mTc or ^113mIn

Visualization of RBC pools; heat-damaged RBC’s for assessment of spleen volume [71]

^99mTc-leukocytes

Visualization of hematopoiesis [41] (standard use for detection of inflammation)

^99mTc-antigranulocyte antibodies

(^99mTc-AGAb)

Visualization of granulocyte (precursors) / granulopoeisis [46]

^99mTc-low density lipoprotein (^99mTc-LDL)

Visualization of LDL biodistribution / catabolism [47]

^99mTc-methylene-diphosphonate

(^99mTc-MDP)

Visualization of bone matrix turnover and/or blood flow [42]

¹³³Xe

Evaluation of blood flow [60] (standard use for ventilation studies)

¹⁵O-carbon dioxide (¹⁵O-CO2)

Evaluation of blood flow [61]