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Radionuclide therapy
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<p>Radionuclide therapy (RNT, also known as unsealed source radiotherapy or molecular radiotherapy) uses <a href="/facts/Radioactivity/Ya6FVjt4">radioactive</a> substances called <a href="/facts/Radiopharmaceutical/x3g6zbB6">radiopharmaceuticals</a> to treat medical conditions, particularly <a href="/facts/Cancer/PVW6n1D0">cancer</a>. These are introduced into the body by various means (<a href="/facts/Injection_(medicine)/fvkH58gk">injection</a> or <a href="/facts/Eating/Vtf2gffc">ingestion</a> are the two most commonplace) and localise to specific locations, <a href="/facts/Organ_(anatomy)/FUYsLaxz">organs</a> or tissues depending on their properties and administration routes. This includes anything from a simple compound such as <a href="/facts/Sodium_iodide/wc8xz4D7">sodium iodide</a> that locates to the <a href="/facts/Thyroid/bjovTJVu">thyroid</a> via trapping the iodide ion, to complex biopharmaceuticals such as recombinant antibodies which are attached to radionuclides and seek out specific <a href="/facts/Antigens/9JlAernG">antigens</a> on cell surfaces. </p><p>This is a type of targeted therapy which uses the physical, chemical and biological properties of the radiopharmaceutical to target areas of the body for radiation treatment. The related diagnostic modality of <a href="/facts/Nuclear_medicine/L9Dzjd90">nuclear medicine</a> employs the same principles but uses different types or quantities of radiopharmaceuticals in order to <a href="/facts/Functional_imaging/zXcfwKTX">image</a> or analyse functional systems within the patient. </p><p>RNT contrasts with sealed-source therapy (<a href="/facts/Brachytherapy/YCxeYI8L">brachytherapy</a>) where the radionuclide remains in a capsule or metal wire during treatment and needs to be physically placed precisely at the treatment position. </p><p>When the radionuclides are <a href="/facts/Ligands/6etB3qeW">ligands</a> (such as with <a href="/facts/Lutathera/lpEgWERq">Lutathera</a> and <a href="/facts/Pluvicto/A5vTXC7U">Pluvicto</a>), the technique is also known as radioligand therapy. </p>