ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine for visualizing the pancreas and prostate and presents other organs of the endocrine system. The pancreas, liver, intestinal mucosa, spleen, and bone marrow are the organs responsible for the majority of protein synthesis in the body. Therefore, they require a constant supply of amino acids. Many other amino acids have been investigated for potential use in nuclear medicine. Labeling of the various amino acids has been done with short-lived radionuclides or other halogens. Short-lived radionuclides can be used as peak levels in the pancreas are rapidly obtained. As with the pancreas, zinc has been extensively investigated as a potential prostate scanning agent due to its high content in this organ. An ideal radiopharmaceutical for visualizing the pancreas or prostate has not been found, in spite of many sophisticated approaches to its development.
