These are introduced into the body by various means (injection or ingestion are the two most commonplace) and localise to specific locations, organs or tissues depending on their properties and administration routes.
[3] The related diagnostic modality of nuclear medicine employs the same principles but uses different types or quantities of radiopharmaceuticals in order to image or analyse functional systems within the patient.
The patient (human or animal) may ingest an oral solid or liquid amount or receive an intravenous injection of a solution of the compound.
Patients are often treated as inpatients and there are international guidelines, as well as legislation in many countries, which govern the point at which they may return home.
[11] Samarium is bound to tetraphosphate EDTMP, phosphates are taken up by osteoblastic (bone forming) repairs that occur adjacent to some metastatic lesions.
[19] At the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) work is being done on alpha-immunotherapy, this is an experimental method where antibodies bearing alpha isotopes are used.