Methylene diphosphonate
Encyclopedia
Technetium medronic acid is a pharmaceutical product used in nuclear medicine
to localize bone metastases as well as other diseases that can alter the natural turn-over in the bone
.
of medronic acid
, the simplest bisphosphonate
, with technetium-99m
(99mTc), a radionuclide
that emits gamma rays. The exact structure of the complex is not known.
Nuclear medicine
In nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
to localize bone metastases as well as other diseases that can alter the natural turn-over in the bone
Bone
Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
.
Chemistry
The drug is a complexComplex (chemistry)
In chemistry, a coordination complex or metal complex, is an atom or ion , bonded to a surrounding array of molecules or anions, that are in turn known as ligands or complexing agents...
of medronic acid
Medronic acid
Medronic acid is a bisphosphonate. Its complex with radioactive technetium, 99mTc medronic acid, is used in nuclear medicine to detect bone abnormalities, including metastases....
, the simplest bisphosphonate
Bisphosphonate
Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass, used to treat osteoporosis and similar diseases...
, with technetium-99m
Technetium-99m
Technetium-99m is a metastable nuclear isomer of technetium-99, symbolized as 99mTc. The "m" indicates that this is a metastable nuclear isomer, i.e., that its half-life of 6 hours is considerably longer than most nuclear isomers that undergo gamma decay...
(99mTc), a radionuclide
Radionuclide
A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus, which is a nucleus characterized by excess energy available to be imparted either to a newly created radiation particle within the nucleus or to an atomic electron. The radionuclide, in this process, undergoes radioactive decay, and emits gamma...
that emits gamma rays. The exact structure of the complex is not known.