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Adverse Reactions Table
The overall prevalence of adverse reactions from radiopharmaceuticals has been documented at 2.3/100,000 adminstrations. Many of the adverse reactions listed below were obtained from clinical trials which were not placebo-controlled and may have no causative relation with the radiopharmaceutical. Nevertheless each has been noted and reported to the manufacturer, the SNM, USP, and/ or FDA and therefore is believed at least worthy of mention. Causality is not implied.
Pharmacopeia Committee of the SNM
NOTE: A printable .PDF file version of this table is available in the related items box at the bottom of this page.
| Radiopharmaceutical | Trade Name | Side Effects, Comments & Other Reactions |
|
57 Co-cyanocobalamin |
Rubratope-57, Dicopac kit |
None. |
|
51Cr-sodium chromate |
Chromitope |
erythema, flushing, hypertension, tachycardia and diaphoresis. |
|
18F-fludeoxyglucose,FDG, fluorodeoxyglucose |
None. | |
|
59Fe-ferrous citrate |
None. | |
|
67Ga-gallium citrate |
Neoscan |
nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, syncope or faintness, dizziness, vertigo, facial swelling, metallic taste, dyspnea, salty taste. |
|
111In-capromab pendetide |
ProstaScint |
increase in bilirubin, hypotension, hypertension, injection site reactions, elevated liver enzymes (could be due to tumor), pruritus, fever, rash, headache, myalgia, asthenia, burning sensation in thigh, shortness of breath, alterations of taste, production of HAMA by the recipient. |
|
111In-indium oxyquinoline, Oxine |
fever, diffuse rash, pruritus and hives/urticaria. | |
|
111 In-pentetate DTPA |
MPI-DTPA |
fever, nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, pruritus, hives/urticaria, cardiac arrest, hypertension, headache, aseptic meningitis; one death 20 min postinjection. |
|
111 In-pentetreotide |
Octreoscan |
fever, nausea, erythema, flushing, hypotension, bradycardia, dizziness, vertigo, headache, diaphoresis, arthralgia and asthenia, one case of anemia. |
|
111 In-satumomab pendetide |
OncoScint CR/OV |
chills, fever, nausea, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypertension, hypotension, dizziness, vertigo, headache, diaphoresis, arthralgia and asthenia, confusion, diarrhea, hypothermia, bradycardia, vasodilatation,angioedema, production of HAMA by the recipient. |
|
123I-iobenguane metaiodobenzylguanidine, MIBG |
nausea, erythema, flushing, hypertension, respiratory reaction, syncope or faintness, dizziness and vertigo, tachypnea. | |
|
123I-iodohippurate sodium |
Nephroflow, Nephropure |
nausea, vomiting, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria and hypotension. |
|
123I-sodium iodide |
nausea, vomiting, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, syncope or faintness and headache, tachypnea; parosmia. | |
|
125I-iodinated albumin (IHSA, iodinated human serum albumin) |
diffuse rash. | |
|
125I-sodium iothalamate |
Glofil |
None. |
|
131I-iobenguane metaiodobenzylguanidine, MIBG |
erythema, flushing, diaphoresis and metallic taste, tingling of arms and face. | |
|
131I-iodinated albumin |
RISA, Radioinated serum, albumin, Megatope |
None. |
|
131I-iodohippurate sodium |
Hipputope, Hippuran |
nausea, vomiting, pruritus hives/urticaria, hypertension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, syncope or faintness, diaphoresis, anaphylaxis, facial swelling, dyspnea; "cold sweat", pallor; amaurosis fugax. |
|
131I-sodium iodide |
Iodotope |
chills, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, hives/urticaria, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, tachycardia, headache, dizziness. |
|
131 I-6-beta iodomethyl-18-norcholesterol |
NP-59 |
nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypertension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, dizziness, headaches, diaphoresis, facial swelling, abdominal pain, metallic taste, frozen tongue, dyspnea. |
|
81m Kr-krypton |
None. | |
|
13 N-ammonia |
None. | |
|
32 P-chromic phosphate suspension |
Phosphocol |
chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, respiratory reaction, abdominal pain, dyspnea, sore throat, cough, pleuritis, myelosuppression. |
|
32 P-sodium phosphate |
myelosuppression, bone pain from the flare phenomenon. | |
|
82 Rb-rubidium |
None. | |
|
153 Sm-lexidronam |
Quadramet |
myelosuppression, bone pain from the flare phenomenon. |
|
89 Sr-strontium chloride |
Metastron |
chills, fever, myelosuppression, bone pain from the flare phenomenon. |
|
99m Tc-albumin colloid |
Microlite |
chills, nausea, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, dizziness, vertigo, diaphoresis, anaphylaxis, abdominal pain, myelosuppression (injectate also included MDP and soluble albumin for cases with anaphylaxis). |
|
99m Tc-albumin (HSA, human serum, albumin) |
chills, fever, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, hypotension, tachycardia, dizziness, vertigo, facial swelling, tachypnea, malaise, dyspnea. | |
|
99m Tc-arcitumomab |
CEA-Scan |
transient eosinophilia, nausea, bursitis, urticaria, pruritus, headache, nausea, fever, one grand mal seizure, HAMA production by the recipient. |
|
99m Tc-bicisate dihydrochloride (ethyl cysteinate dimer, ECD) |
Neurolite |
nausea, diffuse rash, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, respiratory reaction, seizures, syncope or faintness, dizziness, vertigo, headache, cyanosis and asthenia, neurologic adverse events may have been related to underlying disease, including hallucinations, parosmia, also cardiac failure; respiratory arrest. |
|
99m Tc-disofenin |
Hepatolite |
None. |
|
99m Tc-exametazime (hexamethylpropylene amine oxine, HMPAO) |
Ceretec |
fever, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory reaction, seizures, diaphoresis, cyanosis, anaphylaxis, facial swelling, abdominal pain, dyspnea with myoclonus (labeled WBC). |
|
99m Tc-gluceptate |
Glucoscan, Technescan, Gluceptate |
chills, nausea, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, hives/urticaria, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, seizures, dizziness, vertigo, headache, diaphoresis. |
|
99m Tc-lidofenin |
Technescan HIDA |
chills, nausea. |
|
99m Tc-macroaggregated albumin (MAA) |
AN-MAA, Macrotec, MPI-MAA, Pulmolite, Technescan MAA |
chills, nausea, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, cardiac arrest, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, syncope or faintness, diaphoresis, cyanosis, anaphylaxis, metallic taste, dyspnea; throat tightness; arm numbness; parosmia. |
|
99m Tc-mebrofenin |
Choletec |
hives/urticaria. |
|
99m Tc-medronate (MDP, methylene diphosphonate) |
Osteolite, Technescan, MDP, AN-MDP, MPI-MDP |
chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, cardiac arrest, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, seizures, syncope or faintness, dizziness, vertigo, headache, diaphoresis, anaphylaxis, abdominal pain, metallic taste, asthenia, pain/burning at inj. site, photophobia, one death secondary to cardiac arrhythmia. |
|
99m Tc-mertiatide (MAG3, mercaptoacetyl-glyclyglyclyglycine) |
Technescan MAG3 |
nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, syncope or faintness, sore, thick throat. |
|
99m Tc-oxidronate (HDP, hydroxymethylene diphosphonate) |
Osteoscan-HDP |
nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, heartburn, seizures, diaphoresis, facial swelling. |
|
99m Tc-pentetate (DTPA, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) |
Technescan DTPA, AN DTPA, MPI-DTPA, Techniplex |
chills, nausea, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, syncope or faintness, headache, cyanosis, anaphylaxis, arthralgia, pain, burning at inj. site, cough; wheezing; trisodium salt can cause neurologic signs if given inthrathecally. |
|
99m Tc-pyrophosphate (PYP) and Sodium Pyrophosphate) |
Pyrolite, Technescan PYP, Phosphotec, MPI, Pyrophosphate, AN Pyrotec, Ultratag |
chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypotension, respiratory reaction, syncope or faintness, dizziness, vertigo, pain/burning at inj. site, tinnitus. |
|
99m Tc-sestamibi |
Cardiolite, Mirluma |
nausea, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, seizures, headache, metallic taste, tingling. |
|
99m Tc-sodium pertechnetate |
Minitec, UltratecKow |
chills, nausea, vomiting, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypertension, dizziness, vertigo, headache, diaphoresis, anaphylaxis. |
|
99m Tc-succimer (DMSA, dimercaptosuccinic acid) |
MPI-DMSA, Nephroscint |
nausea erythema, flushing, syncope or faintness, abdominal pain. |
|
99m Tc-sulfur colloid |
AN-Sulfur Colloid, TechneColl, TcSC, Tesuloid |
chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hives/urticaria, cardiac arrest, chest pain, tightness or heaviness, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory reaction, tachycardia, bradycardia, seizures, syncope or faintness, dizziness, vertigo, headache, diaphoresis, cyanosis, anaphylaxis, arthralgia, pain/burning at inj. site, wheezing, dyspnea, choking; sneezing, itchy throat, parasthesia, weakness. |
| 99mTc-tetrofosmin | Myoview |
angina, hypertension, Torsades de Pointes (these three probably occurred because of underlying heart disease); vomiting, abdominal discomfort, cutaneous allergy, hypotension, dyspnea,metallic taste, burning of mouth, unusual odor, mild leukocytosis. |
| 201Tl-thallous chloride |
fever, erythema, flushing, diffuse rash, pruritus, hypotension. | |
|
127 Xe-xenon |
None. | |
|
133 Xe-xenon |
None. |
This table was originally printed in J. Nuclear Med. 1996;37:185-192;1064-1067.

