The present invention pertains to a novel liposome-based contrast agent that is for suppressing absorption in the reticuloendothelial system and for tumor-specific delivery of a radiolabeled substance. More specifically, the present invention pertains to: a liposome contrast agent containing a lipid and a compound of chemical formula 1, which is a radiolabeled substance, the liposome contrast agent being characterized in that the lipid is composed of (a) cholesterol, (b) 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), and (c) 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N [methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000] (DSPE-PEG2000); and a cancer diagnostic composition containing the liposome contrast agent as an active ingredient. If a liposome system, containing a contrast substance of chemical formula 1 having a unique lipid composition provided by the present invention, is manufactured, the tumor-to-organ uptake ratio of the contrast substance in the reticuloendothelial system increases significantly, thus greatly increasing the tumor diagnostic efficiency of the compound of chemical formula 1.

Provided are a compound represented by the following formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein X.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, X.sub.2 represents a fluorine atom or a nitrile group, and X.sub.3 represents a radioactive halogen atom, or a salt thereof, and a medicament including the same.

Berberine or its derivatives are used in the preparation of myocardial perfusion imaging agents It has been verified using in vitro investigations, in vivo biodistribution, and small animal PET dynamic imaging, etc., that .sup.18F-labeled berberine derivatives can specifically accumulate in cardiomyocytes or heart tissues, and has good distribution properties of targetting heart muscle in living animals, together with high contrast values of heart v.s. peripheral tissue (liver, lung, blood, muscle, bone, etc.).

The present invention relates to a method of labelling biological molecules with .sup.18F, via attachment to fluorine to a macrocyclic metal complex of a non-radioactive metal, where the metal complex is conjugated to the biological molecule. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits and methods of in vivo imaging.

An automated radiopharmaceutical production and quality control system includes a particle accelerator, a radiopharmaceutical micro-synthesis subsystem, and quality control subsystem. The micro-accelerator of the improved biomarker generator is optimized for producing radioisotopes useful in synthesizing radiopharmaceuticals in quantities on the order of multiple unit doses, allowing for significant reductions in size, power requirements, and weight when compared to conventional radiopharmaceutical cyclotrons. The radiopharmaceutical micro-synthesis subsystem encompasses a small volume chemical synthesis system comprising a microreactor and/or a microfluidic chip and optimized for synthesizing the radiopharmaceutical in small quantities, allowing for significant reductions in processing time and in the quantity of radioisotope required. The automated quality control subsystem is used to test the composition and characteristics of the radiopharmaceutical to ensure that it is safe to inject.

Described herein are Tz/TCO-based pretargeting strategies using an Al[.sup.18F]-NOTA-labeled tetrazine radioligand. This imaging strategy enables delineation of cancer at earlier time points compared to other imaging strategies and further decreases the radiation dose to healthy tissues compared to directly labeled antibodies. Al-based .sup.18F imaging of small molecules, such as tetrazine, has not been previously achieved due to the decomposition of tetrazine during radiofluorination. Radiofluorination is advantageous over other radiolabeling methods because, in addition to having a shorter half-life, .sup.18F is more readily available to produce and therefore integrated into hospital workflows.

A breath test and a breath test method for diagnosing abnormal gastric emptying using a .sup.13C labeled breath test meal by identifying the time of maximum excretion of .sup.13CO.sub.2 in the breath samples. The test and test method include supplying a subject with the breath test meal, collecting a breath sample of the subject at a plurality of time points after the subject consumes the meal, generating measurements of .sup.13CO.sub.2 excretion from the breath samples, identifying a time T.sub.max at which .sup.13CO.sub.2 excretion is maximal, comparing T.sub.max to a cut-off value. The subject may be diagnosed as having delayed gastric emptying if T.sub.max is greater than the T.sub.max cut-off value.

Systems and methods including a material that emits high energy beta particles to destroy cancer cells contained in cancerous tumor or tissue. Electronic neutron generators produce neutrons with energies that have a high probability to interact with the material yttrium-89 to produce yttrium-90. Yttrium-90 emits beta radiation with a maximum energy of about 2.25 MeV and a half-life of about 64 hours, which decays to stable zirconium. Stable yttrium-89 can be directly placed in or around cancerous tissue and irradiated with neutrons in the 0.1-15 KeV energy range to produce significant amounts of yttrium-90. The beta radiation emitted by yttrium-90 will primarily destroy the more radiation sensitive cancer cells within the range of the beta particles. The resulting zirconium isotope is not radioactive such that no further radiation is released. A low probability gamma is also created that will assist in cancer cell destruction.

A method of labelling biological molecules with .sup.18F, via attachment of fluorine to a metal complex, where the metal complex is conjugated to the biological molecule. The invention highlights the incorporation of hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) into the metal complex scaffold, and how this can be utilised to improve the kinetics of fluoride incorporation. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits and methods of in vivo imaging.

Provided are imaging agents comprising a compound of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and methods of their use. ##STR00001##