Iobenguane

Iobenguane is a radiopharmaceutical compound used in medical imaging. It is a guanethidine analog radiolabeled with iodine-123 or iodine-131. Iobenguane is used to image or treat diseases of the adrenal glands.

Mechanism of action

Iobenguane is taken up by noradrenaline (norepinephrine) transporter in adrenergic nerve terminals and stored in neurosecretory granules. The stored iobenguane is then released with noradrenaline by nerve stimulation, actively transported into the cell or passively diffused out of the nerve terminal.

Medical uses

Iobenguane is used to image the adrenal glands and their tumors, and to treat pheochromocytoma and neuroblastoma. It is used in a MIBG scan (metaiodobenzylguanidine scan), which is a type of nuclear medicine imaging.

Side effects

The most common side effects of iobenguane include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Less common side effects include hypotension, dizziness, and dry mouth.

History

Iobenguane was first synthesized in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was approved for medical use in the United States in 2008.

See also

• MIBG scan
• Pheochromocytoma
• Neuroblastoma
• Adrenal gland
• Radiopharmaceutical
• Iodine-123
• Iodine-131

Iobenguane

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  Diagram of Iobenguane structure
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  Scan showing Pheochromocytoma