Technetium Tc 99m oxidronate
Technetium Tc-99m oxidronate, also known as 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate, is a radiopharmaceutical agent. A radiopharmaceutical is defined as a medicinal formulation containing radioisotopes that are used in major clinical areas for diagnosis and/or therapy. The radiopharmaceuticals based on technetium-99m are widely used for diagnostic purposes because 99mTc has a versatile chemistry which allows it to produce an extense variety of complexes with specific characteristics. These complexes are formed by the binding of 99mTc to metal atoms of an organic molecule. The group oxidronate falls into the category of diphosphonates whose structure allows them to bind to calcium. Thus, technetium Tc-99m oxidronate is a powerful detection tool for abnormal osteogenesis by skeletal scintigraphy. It was developed by Mallinkrodt nuclear and FDA approved on February 18, 1981.