Foreign experience in veterinaryapplication of scintigraphy

Foreign experience in the use of radiopharmaceuticals has provedthe diagnostic accuracy in identifying kidney, heart, lungs, soft tissues and blood vessels disease. Scintigraphy could beused to detect morphofunctional changes inorgans ororgan systems, as well as metabolic disorders by means of radiation dose rate received afterthe radiopharmaceutical administration. For example, Technetium-99 (99m Tc) is appliedto identifyincomplete bone fractures in unproductive animals and sports horses; hypothyroidism and malignant neoplasms affecting the thyroid gland in dogs; hyperthyroidism in cats. To date, scintigraphy is rarely used in domestic veterinary practice due to a number of reasons. High cost of radionuclides; the need to comply with safety requirements, in accordance with the Guideline 2.6.1.1892-04 dated March 04, 2004; the lack of additional veterinary specialist training. The most significant point is that animals injected with a radioactive compound or implanted with radioactive sources can be returnedto the owner only after the activity of radionuclides in the body (GBq) reducedenough to meet the requirements of Sanitary Regulations and Norms2.6.2523-09 “Radiation Safety Standards (NRB-99/2009)” dated July 07, 2009.

It should be noted that radiopharmaceutical drugs have not been approved for use in productive animals in the USA to date. As additional financial and human resources are required to control the number of residual nuclides in livestock products, resulting in production costs increase.