Which radiopharmaceutical is typically used for bone imaging?

Prepare for the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions; each question comes with hints and explanations. Ensure you're ready to ace your exam!

Tc-99m MDP, or Technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate, is the radiopharmaceutical commonly utilized for bone imaging due to its properties that allow it to localize in areas of increased bone metabolism. This characteristic makes it particularly effective for detecting bone diseases, including fractures, infections, and tumors.

When injected into the body, Tc-99m MDP binds to hydroxyapatite in bone, allowing for imaging of the skeletal system using gamma cameras. It provides clear visualization of both areas of increased activity, such as in cases of metastatic bone disease or osteomyelitis, and areas where metabolism may be reduced.

The other options listed are suited for different diagnostic purposes and do not have the same affinity for bone tissue. For instance, F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose is primarily used in oncology imaging for assessing metabolic activity in tumors, while In-111 Octreotide is used for imaging neuroendocrine tumors, and Ga-67 Citrate is used for imaging infections and malignancies, but not specifically for bone.

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