Diagnostic Radiotracer

A diagnostic radiotracer is a compound in which one or more atoms have been replaced by a radionuclide. This modification allows the compound to emit detectable radiation, enabling its distribution and behavior within biological systems to be tracked using specialized imaging equipment. They are used in PET and SPECT imaging to diagnose diseases and assess various physiological functions.

Other names

Radioactive tracerRadiotracerRadioactive label

Radiotracers emit detectable radiation, enabling their distribution and behavior within biological systems to be tracked. They participate in normal biological processes, and the emitted radiation (commonly gamma rays or positrons) is detected externally by imaging devices, providing information about organ function, tissue metabolism, receptor expression, and disease localization.