Positron emission tomography (PET) uses radioactive tracers and enables the functional imaging of several metabolic processes, blood flow measurements, regional chemical composition, and/or chemical absorption. Depending on the targeted processes within the living organism, different tracers are used for various medical conditions, such as cancer, particular brain pathologies, cardiac events, and bone lesions, where the most commonly used tracers are radiolabeled with 18F (e.g., [18F]-FDG and NA [18F]). Oxygen-15 isotope is mostly involved in blood flow measurements, whereas a wide array of 11C-based compounds have also been developed for neuronal disorders according to the affected neuroreceptors, prostate cancer, and lung carcinomas. In contrast, the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technique uses gamma-emitting radioisotopes and can be used to diagnose strokes, seizures, bone illnesses, and infections by gauging the blood flow and radio distribution within tissues and organs. The radioisotopes typically used in SPECT imaging are iodine-123, technetium-99m, xenon-133, thallium-201, and indium-111. This systematic review article aims to clarify and disseminate the available scientific literature focused on PET/SPECT radiotracers and to provide an overview of the conducted research within the past decade, with an additional focus on the novel radiopharmaceuticals developed for medical imaging.
"Technetium radiopharmaceuticals remain the most widely available and cost-effective compounds used in nuclear medicine imaging. However, exact information regarding the chemical structure of these compounds is scarce. In this study we present a spectroscopic investigation of Hexakis (2-methoxy-2-methylpropylisonitrile) (MIBI) Technetium (99mTc) (99mTc-sestamibi). Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering spectra of the ligand and the Technetium sestamibi complex were recorded. For the later, the measurements were recorded in solution as administered to patients and at different moments from the time of preparation in order to monitor its stability. The information provided by the vibrational characterization of the MIBI ligand allowed us to understand spectroscopic features pertaining to the SERS spectra of the Technetium complex. Keywords: Technetium; radiopharmaceuticals; SPECT; MIBI; SERS. "
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