Nonradioactive Pharmaceuticals in Nuclear Medicine

Objective: Pharmacologic interventions play an important role in nuclear medicine by providing additional information which may help diagnose diseases, evaluate functional reserve and reduce diagnostic imaging time. However, the nonradioactive pharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine are not without adverse effects which must be familiar to those who administer them. Methods: Although not all-encompassing, the following is a listing of the most common nonradioactive pharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine. Results: Included are the mechanisms of action, indications, dosages and adverse effects of each agent, organized alphabetically for easy reference. Conclusions: This listing should provide an easy reference for the nuclear medicine technologist when using these pharmaceuticals.