RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF CYCLOTRON PRODUCED RADIONUCLIDES FOR NUCLEAR CARDIOLOGY.

For over a decade myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201, a cyclotron product, has been routinely used in clinical medicine. Recent advances have allowed the efficient production of very high purity ( greater than 99. 8%) iodine-123. New metabolically active **1**2**3I labeled radiopharmaceuticals, including alkyl and phenyl fatty acids, and norepinephrine analogs, have been developed and are undergoing clinical trials. Fab prime fragments of monoclonal antibodies to cardiac myosin have been labeled with indium-111 (**1**1**1In) and are undergoing clinical evaluation for imaging myocardial infarcts. Monoclonal antibodies to platelets, fibrin, and the thrombolytic agent, tissues plasminogen activator (TPA), have recently been labeled with **1**1**1In. Together these developments in radiotracers and instrumentation should have a significant impact on the future of cardiovascular nuclear medicine. This manuscript discusses developments in single photon emitting radiotracers for myocardial imaging.