Korean J Pancreas Biliary Tract.  2025 Apr;30(2):62-75. 10.15279/kpba.2025.30.2.62.

The Development of Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine Imaging in Korea and Recent Trends in Radiopharmaceuticals for Pancreaticobiliary Diseases

• Choi B

• KMID: 2567425
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15279/kpba.2025.30.2.62

Abstract

Nuclear medicine in South Korea began in 1959 with the measurement of ¹³¹I uptake and excretion in patients with thyroid diseases and has achieved remarkable progress over the past 60 years. Diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging in South Korea, introduced in 1961, has evolved to include gamma camera imaging using gamma cameras and positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT), which are now established as primary diagnostic modalities. The radionuclides used in gamma cameras and PET/CT are produced by generators and cyclotrons. These radionuclides are labeled to compounds that are selectively taken up by target organs, thereby forming radiopharmaceuticals. In South Korea, some of the commonly used radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging in patients with pancreaticobiliary diseases include ^99mTc-dicarboxypropane diphosphonate (DPD), ^99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP), ^99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (HMDP), ^99mTc-bromotriethyl-iminodiacetic acid (BrIDA or mebrofenin), ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG), ¹⁸F-2-fluoro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (¹⁸F-FDOPA), ¹¹¹In-pentetreotide (octreotide), and ⁶⁸Ga-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid⁰-Tyr³-octreotide (⁶8Ga-DOTA-TOC), which are widely used for the diagnosis and therapeutic planning of pancreaticobiliary neoplasms. The medical radiation exposure associated with diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging is considered to be at an acceptable level compared to radiation doses from natural background radiation. When clinicians understand the characteristics and advantages of nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging and effectively communicate this information to patients, this can contribute to building trust and improving the quality of medical care.

Keyword

Nuclear medicine; Radiopharmaceuticals; Scintigraphy; Positron emission tomography; Pancreaticobiliary diseases; 핵의학; 방사성의약품; 신티그래피; 양전자 방출단층촬영; 췌장담도 질환