ATC Group: V04CX Other diagnostic agents

Edrophonium is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor with rapid onset and short duration of action resulting in an increase of acetylcholine in the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). For many years, edrophonium was FDA-approved to be utilized to diagnose MG.

Hexaminolevulinate blue light fluorescence cystoscopy is indicated as adjunct to standard white light cystoscopy to contribute to the diagnosis and management of bladder cancer in patients with known or high suspicion of bladder cancer.

Little is known about the way the lithium ion can modify neurotransmission within the CNS. Many of the proposed mechanisms have suggested an inhibitory effect on components of various neurotransmitter signalling pathways, such as cyclic AMP formation, cyclic GMP formation, G-proteins or inositol phosphate metabolism.

Mannitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol used clinically primarily for its osmotic diuretic properties.

Methacholine is a cholinergic agonist. Bronchial smooth muscle contains significant parasympathetic (cholinergic) innervation. Methacholine agonizes the muscarinic receptors which eventually induce bronchoconstriction.

Pegulicianine is a prodrug that is optically inactive when intact and produces a fluorescent signal after its peptide chain is cleaved by cathepsins and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). The levels of these enzymes are higher in and around tumor and tumor-associated cells than normal cells. Pegulicianine is indicated for fluorescence imaging in adults with breast cancer as an adjunct for the intraoperative detection of cancerous tissue within the resection cavity following removal of the primary specimen during lumpectomy surgery.

¹³C-urea is administered in the course of the breath test. After oral ingestion the labelled urea reaches the gastric mucosa. In the presence of Helicobacter pylori the ¹³C-urea is metabolised by the enzyme urease of Helicobacter pylori.