Theragnostics is a combination of two words: “therapy” and “diagnostics”. It is a field of nuclear medicine that integrates molecular imaging with targeted therapy through the use of radiopharmaceuticals conjugated to radioactive isotopes that enable imaging and/or treatment. Coupling a radiopharmaceutical to a positron-emitting or gamma-emitting isotope allows for imaging (for diagnostic purposes or monitoring treatment efficacy), while coupling the same radiopharmaceutical to an alpha- or beta-emitting isotope enables therapy. Thus, by selecting the appropriate radioactive isotope, it is possible to use the same targeted molecular carrier for both imaging and therapy purposes.
