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Scientists begin to produce new radiopharmaceutical for diagnosis of heart diseases

Moreover, the new drug can be used to diagnose breast, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer

TOMSK, December 7. /TASS/. Scientists at Tomsk Polytechnic University became the first in Russia to start producing and supplying to the Research Institute of Cardiology a radiopharmaceutical based on thallium-199 isotope, which allows to quickly and accurately diagnose heart pathologies, in particular, ischemic disease. In contrast to the thallium-201 drug used for these purposes, it is easier for the patient to tolerate, has less radiation exposure and is quickly eliminated from the body, the press service of the Tomsk university told reporters.

“Both in the world and in Russia, a drug with thallium-201 isotope is traditionally used for diagnostics in cardiology. Tomsk Polytechnic University has developed its own technology for obtaining thallium-199. Its half-life amounts to 7.4 hours, which is almost ten times less than thallium-201. This means that it is "softer", gives less dose to the patient and is eliminated from the body more quickly," head of the production department of radiopharmaceuticals at the TPU "Research Nuclear Reactor" Evgeny Nesterov was quoted as saying.

It is specified that in Russia only Tomsk Polytechnic University has a license for this drug's production. It is currently supplied to the Research Institute of Cardiology of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The isotope is obtained by specialists of the Laboratory of Radioactive Substances and Technologies of Tomsk Polytechnic University at the cyclotron — a cyclic accelerator of heavy charged particles.

"In cardiology, thallium is used, in particular, for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. This is the most common method for diagnosing coronary heart disease worldwide. The patient is injected with a radiopharmaceutical with an isotope that is absorbed by vascular tissues. Healthy tissues accumulate the isotope fairly evenly, and zones with Atherosclerotic plaques accumulate it much less. The amount of the isotope introduced is such that the radiation emitted by it is easily captured by the gamma camera, but at the same time it does not have a toxic effect on the body," the message reads.

Moreover, the new drug can be used to diagnose breast, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer.