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FDA Approves Widely Used Imaging Agent for Respiratory Disease
September 29, 2023
Reston, VA—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the imaging agent Technegas for use in ventilation–perfusion studies to diagnose pulmonary embolism and other respiratory pathologies. A carbon-based nanoparticle developed in Australia nearly 40 years ago, Technegas has been recognized as a standard for ventilation studies and is widely used in clinics around the world.
Benefits of Technegas include high diagnostic accuracy, low radiation burden to patients, and easy administration. It offers advantages for scanning of COVID-19 patients, as the procedure is quick and the apparatus is single use, without recirculation. In 2021, SNMMI urged FDA to begin a fast-track review of the agent.
“We applaud the FDA for the long-awaited approval of Technegas,” said SNMMI president Helen Nadel, MD, FRCPC, FSNMMI. “Technegas will offer advantages in diagnostic accuracy, workflow, and patient comfort for departments that adopt the technology and will have a large impact on those undergoing imaging for pulmonary disease.”
Pulmonary embolism affects approximately 900,000 Americans per year, and more than 34 million Americans live with chronic lung disease, according to the American Lung Association.
Technegas is manufactured by Cyclomedica and is currently distributed to 54 countries worldwide.
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About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine and molecular imaging—vital elements of precision medicine that allow diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
SNMMI’s members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit www.snmmi.org.