• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2001

Lung perfusion scanning, invariably combined with ventilation studies provides a reliable and non-invasive mean to diagnose lung related pathologies despite the availability of modern techniques such as angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, and helical (spiral) computed tomography. The technique involves the generation of images by radiations emitted from radioisotopes introduced in to the lungs. Various radiopharmaceuticals have been proposed and designed to incorporate $Tc^{99m}$ in to macroparticulate form for lung perfusion imaging. However, most of these have associated difficulties such as reproducibility of the product with regards to particle size distribution and poor elimination from the lung capillary bed. $Tc^{99m}$ macroaggregated albumin $(Tc^{99m}-MAA)$ is used extensively for clinical lung perfusion imaging and is considered as the radiopharmaceutical of choice. It is non-toxic, safe, and being biodegradable, is easily eliminated from the lung capillary bed by proteolytic enzyme metabolism and by mechanical forces due to lung movement.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.117-121
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• 2001

Pleural effusion due to hepatic cirrhosis with ascites is well known, although hepatic hydrothorax in the absence of ascites is a rare condition, the pathogenesis of which is still unknown. We report a case of hepatic hydrothorax without ascites confirmed by the intraperitoneal injection of Tc-99m mecroaggregated serum albumin (Tc-99m MAA) that demonstrated the passage of Tc-99m MAA into the right pleural cavity.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2021

Low-dose radiotherapy has been known to have anti-inflammatory activity and been used for treatment of pneumonia together with anti-serum and sulfanilamide. However, it rapidly discontinued after the development of various antibiotics showing outstanding effect. Recently, it was re-considered to treat COVID-19 which has very limited treatment such as remdesivir and dexamethasone. So, several studies of COVID-19 therapy using low-dose radiation were reported very recently. They showed that low-dose radiation of 0.5~1.5 Gy were useful for decreasing the oxygen consumption and hospitalization period of COVID-19 patients without adverse reaction. Radiopharmaceuticals such as [⁹⁹mTc]Tc-macroaggregated albumin (MAA) also might be used for low-dose radiotherapy. Administration of vitamin D having anti-inflammatory effect would also be helpful for therapy with synergistic effect.