Radiopharmaceuticals are used for the treatment and diagnosis of various pathologies, in a non-invasive manner.
A radiopharmaceutical is a molecule composed of two main components: one is radioactive, and the other has a biochemical nature, designed to direct the radiopharmaceutical toward a specific organ (the target organ). The radiopharmaceutical enables imaging of molecular targets, physiological and pathological processes, as well as targeted therapy of various conditions. The relative specificity of the radiopharmaceutical for a given tissue, protein, or specific process allows for imaging or targeted therapy. The radioactive materials used generally have a relatively short half-life and are administered in an optimal dose that enables effective and safe imaging and/or therapy.
The use of radiopharmaceuticals in combination with appropriate imaging devices (cameras/ scanners) provides non-invasive information about the functional status of specific organs, the presence of molecular targets (“molecular imaging”), and various pathological processes.
