Technegas’ new use in lung transplant imaging

Radiopharmaceutical medical imaging manufacturer Cyclopharm has revealed a possible new use for its Technegas system – for evaluating the progress of lung transplantation.

The use is detailed in a US-based study which highlights the clinical utility and operational benefits of the Technegas technology compared to current US ventilation imaging radiopharmaceuticals used in lung transplant evaluation.

The study, which follows last year’s United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Technegas, was written independently by leading clinicians at Washington University’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis, Missouri.

It highlights Technegas’ clinical efficacy compared to 133-Xenon (Xenon), the current US ventilation imaging standard used in lung transplant evaluation, a cording to Cyclopharm.

Technegas is an ultra-fine dispersion of the radiopharmaceutical Technetium-99m within a gas used in diagnostic functional lung imaging in diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism (PE).

Cyclopharm said indications for Technegas continue to evolve as it is being successfully combined with advancements in imaging technology and AI in nuclear medicine departments around the world.

The Managing Director and CEO of Cyclopharm James McBrayer said: “This groundbreaking study, wholly driven by clinicians, clearly illustrates the transformative potential of Technegas across the US healthcare market.

“By validating its clinical equivalence to Xenon and highlighting its operational benefits, this independent research paves the way for broad adoption of Technegas across a range of respiratory conditions in the world’s largest healthcare market.

“The results also emphasise how Technegas can not only replace existing radiopharmaceuticals but also challenge higher-radiation alternatives like CTPA, enhancing patient safety, care and clinical outcomes.”

The study, Comparability of Quantifying Relative Lung Ventilation with Inhaled 99mTc-Technegas and 133Xe in Patients Undergoing Pre-lung Transplant Evaluation, was published in the US Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

It analysed 74 patients and confirmed Technegas' enhanced performance in diagnosing challenging cases.

It also found Technegas, compared to Xenon, provides a safer, more accessible solution for hospitals and imaging centres and avoids the logistical complexities of radioactive gas handling associated with Xenon.

Further reading:
Cyclopharm’s Technegas approved for US market in sales milestone

Picture: James McBrayer