Therapeutic Uses of Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Medicine

Abstract

This chapter offers a summary of therapeutic modalities employed in treating diseases in nuclear medicine. Therapy in nuclear medicine is accomplished by particulate radiations (β- and α-particles) given off by radiopharmaceuticals. Hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer are treated with 131I, and the conditions of treatment are discussed at length along with the pros and cons of the treatment. Polycythemia vera and leukemia are treated with 32P–sodium orthophosphate to destroy red blood cells and white blood cells, respectively, to bring them to normal values. 90Y-labeled TheraSpheres and Sir-Spheres are used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas 90Y-labeled ibritumomab tiuxetan is used to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Bone pain is a common effect of metastasis of various cancers, and palliative treatment with 89Sr-strontium chloride and 153Sm-EDTMP mitigates the pain.