NSAID-DERIVED CONJUGATE COMPOUNDS FOR IMAGING

Compounds derived from celecoxib, valdecoxib, and indomethacin, and methods of use thereof, are disclosed. The compounds are useful for, inter alia, identifying and localizing the site of pathology and/or inflammation responsible for the sensation of pain in a patient; for identifying the sites of primary, secondary, benign, or malignant tumors; and for diagnosing infection or confirming or ruling out suspected infection. The compounds contain a radioactive agent which permits imaging. The compounds concentrate at sites of increased cyclooxygenase expression, such as areas of increased COX-2 expression, thus revealing the sites of increased prostaglandin production, which is correlated with pain and inflammation, and correlated with tumor presence and/or location. Identifying areas of increased COX expressing can also aid in screening for infections, assessing efficacy of diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and assessing the need for treatment with opioid drugs.