Nuclear medicine in hematology: Bridging diagnostics and therapy

The investigation and therapeutic trials of hematological and hemato-oncological diseases using nuclear medicine methods dates back to the 1930s. At that time, 32P was used as the isotope for various experimental procedures. Over the years, a wide variety of isotopes and techniques have been developed, some of which have established themselves as the gold standard in certain clinical indications, such as in the management of patients with lymphoma. Other nuclear medicine procedures are used as complementary techniques in more specific clinical scenarios. In recent years, the concept of theranostics has gained popularity in nuclear medicine. Radioendotherapies have been developed and some of them have already been FDA approved. Their promising results could potentially have a major impact on the treatment of patients with hemato-oncologic diseases. In this article we review some of the contemporary techniques used in nuclear medicine and recent developments of clinical indications in the field of hematology and oncology.