This study describes the preparation and synthesis of a new class of cationic technetium compounds, the hexakis(alkylisonitrile)technetium(+ 1) complexes, at both carrier added and no carrier added concentrations in aqueous media from pertechnetate. Biological distribution and imaging data in animals indicate that certain members of this class may be effective for cardiac imaging in man. The usefulness of these lipophilic water-soluble species for labeling mammalian cells is also reported.