technetium (99mTc) furifosmin

Technetium-99m furifosmin, also known as 99mTc-Q12, is a lipophilic cationic technetium-99m complex developed as a radiopharmaceutical for SPECT imaging. It belongs to the class of technetium(III) diphosphine complexes. Originally designed by Mallinckrodt Medical for myocardial perfusion imaging, it was subsequently evaluated for its tumor-seeking properties in various cancers, including breast and ovarian carcinoma. The tracer's uptake is mediated by the negative transmembrane potential of the plasma and mitochondrial membranes, which is often elevated in metabolically active or malignant cells. Despite promising in vitro results, clinical studies indicated that 99mTc-furifosmin failed to effectively visualize primary malignant tumors or lymph node involvement in breast cancer patients, leading to the conclusion that it is of limited diagnostic value in oncology compared to established agents like 99mTc-sestamibi and 99mTc-tetrofosmin.

Other names

technetium-99m furifosmintechnetium99m furifosmintechnetium 99m furifosmin99mTc-furifosmin99mTc-Q12furifosmin technetium Tc 99m