Patent ID: 7067111

Claim:
A method of synthesizing a radiolabeled ethylenedicysteine derivative for imaging comprising the steps: a) obtaining a tissue specific ligand, wherein the tissue specific ligand is an anticancer agent is selected from the group consisting of methotrexate, doxorubicin, tamoxifen, paclitaxel, topotecan, LHRH, mitomycin C, etoposide tomudex, podophyllotoxin, mitoxantrone, camptothecin, colchicine, endostatin, fludarabin, gemcitabine and tomudex; a) admixing said ligand with ethylenedicysteine (EC) to obtain an EC-tissue specific ligand derivative; and b) admixing said EC-tissue specific ligand derivative with a radionuclide and a reducing agent to obtain a radionuclide labeled EC-tissue specific ligand derivative, wherein the EC forms an N 2 S 2 chelate with the radionuclide.