Technetium (99mTc) etarfolatide

Technetium (99mTc) etarfolatide is a radiopharmaceutical agent used in the field of nuclear medicine. It is a radioisotope of technetium labeled with etarfolatide, a folate receptor-targeting molecule.

Chemistry

Technetium (99mTc) etarfolatide is a complex of the radioisotope technetium-99m and the molecule etarfolatide. Technetium-99m is a metastable nuclear isomer of technetium-99, and it is this isomer that is used for its nuclear properties. Etarfolatide is a molecule that targets the folate receptor, which is overexpressed in many types of cancer cells.

Pharmacology

Technetium (99mTc) etarfolatide works by binding to the folate receptor on the surface of cancer cells. Once bound, the technetium-99m emits gamma radiation that can be detected by a gamma camera. This allows for the imaging of cancerous tissues that overexpress the folate receptor.

Clinical Use

Technetium (99mTc) etarfolatide is used in the imaging of cancers that overexpress the folate receptor. This includes many types of ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer. The agent allows for the non-invasive imaging of these cancers, aiding in their diagnosis and treatment.

Safety

As with all radiopharmaceuticals, there are risks associated with the use of technetium (99mTc) etarfolatide. These include the potential for radiation exposure and allergic reactions to the etarfolatide molecule. However, the benefits of using this agent for cancer imaging generally outweigh these risks.

See Also

• Technetium-99m
• Radiopharmaceutical
• Folate receptor
• Nuclear medicine