131I-Human Serum Albumin - Dr. Abdolghafar Abolhosseini

Description

¹³¹I-Human Serum Albumin (¹³¹I-HSA) is a radiopharmaceutical agent utilized in medical diagnostics, primarily for human fluid analysis and imaging applications. It plays a crucial role in determining total blood and plasma volumes for blood analysis and is also employed in the localization of cerebral neoplasms during imaging procedures.

Clinical Applications

The clinical utility of ¹³¹I-HSA spans across a range of diagnostic purposes:

Blood and Plasma Volume Analysis:
- Essential for assessing total blood and plasma volumes.
- Useful in evaluating cardiac output and measuring cardiac and pulmonary blood volumes.
- Facilitates the determination of circulation times, offering insights into systemic and pulmonary circulation.
Imaging and Tracing:
- Aids in delineating the heart and great vessels for diagnostic clarity.
- Used in protein turnover studies and localization of specific anatomical structures such as the placenta and cerebral neoplasms.
Therapeutic Value:
- The data obtained from blood analysis are instrumental in refining diuretic prescriptions.
- Provides critical information for the diagnosis and management of hypertension, septic shock, and blood loss during surgery.

Availability

¹³¹I-HSA is available from select manufacturers, tailored to distinct applications:

Imaging:
- Iso-Tex Diagnostics (Megatope™, US MA 1976)
- FUJIFILM (¹³¹I-HSA Injection)
Blood Analysis:
- Daxor Corporation (Volumex)

Pricing and Dosage:
For blood analysis, the typical patient dose costs approximately EUR 200 (USD 260), with an administered dose of about 25 µCi. Imaging applications generally require higher doses.

Competitive Landscape

The market for ¹³¹I-HSA is relatively niche with limited competition. While ¹³¹I is the preferred isotope, it can be substituted with alternatives such as ¹²⁵I or ¹²³I in certain scenarios.

Specialized Equipment:
Daxor Corporation has developed a proprietary device specifically designed for determining blood and plasma volumes using ¹³¹I-labeled compounds.
Alternative Imaging Tracers:
Various other tracers not reliant on ¹³¹I are available for imaging, which may provide options for broader clinical applications.

Comments

¹³¹I-HSA addresses highly specific medical indications, particularly in blood analysis and imaging. However, the imaging segment faces competition from alternative tracers that do not utilize ¹³¹I, offering clinicians a range of diagnostic options. Despite this, its precise applications and diagnostic accuracy make ¹³¹I-HSA a valuable tool in specialized medical scenarios.