Radiopharmaceuticals: A Brief Overview of Basic Pharmacological Parameters Publisher



Kiani M ; Farzanehfar S ; Mirabedian S S ; Bakhshi Kashi M ; Eppard E ; Vahidfar N
Source: Frontiers in Biomedical Technologies Published:2026

Abstract

Radiopharmaceuticals are combinations of two main components including a pharmaceutical ingredient that targets specific moieties, and radionuclide, which acts through spontaneous degradation to create diagnostic or therapeutic effects, as well as both effects simultaneously known as theranostics. By combining diagnostic and therapeutic methods, radiotheranostics play an important role in reducing patient radiation dosages, increasing treatment effectiveness, controlling side effects, improving patient outcomes, and reducing overall treatment costs. Despite the diagnostic and therapeutic roles, radiopharmaceuticals are beneficial for assessing prognosis, disease progression, and the possibility of recurrences, treatment planning strategies, and assessing response to treatment. The most incredible role of radiopharmacy is establishing new radiopharmaceuticals with the aim of better targeting functions and enhanced tolerability for imaging and treatment purposes in a clinic. These approaches are supported by nuclear medicine non-invasive procedures. It is crucial for radiopharmaceuticals that drug delivery occurs in a highly selective and sensitive manner to minimize the potential radiation risk to non-targeted organs of patients. This report will provide an overview of basic pharmacological patterns related to clinical radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and therapy, including the latest radiotheranostic tracers, key concerns within the field, and future trends and prospects. Additionally, the available and useful radiopharmaceuticals are categorized into separate tables based on their specific characteristics. Presenting information in table format enhances organization and makes the data more understandable and accessible for users. This structured approach allows users to quickly locate relevant information, compare different radiopharmaceuticals, and grasp essential details at a glance. By utilizing tables, we ensure that critical information is not only easy to read but also effectively highlights the unique attributes of each radiopharmaceutical, ultimately improving the decision-making process for healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2026 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Noncommercial uses of the work are permitted, provided the original work is properly cited.