Meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is a drug which is selectively accumulated by the uptake-1 process in adrenergic tissues. When labelled with 131I, it may be used for the targetted radiotherapy of tumours such as phaeochromocytoma and neuroblastoma. This paper describes the preparation of carrier-free 131I-MIBG by radioiodination of meta-diazobenzylguanidine, and compares this process with one involving iododesilylation of meta-trimethylsilylbenzylguanidine. Both processes result in the formation of carrier-free 131I-MIBG whose specific activity at greater than 3 x 10(16) Bq mol-1 is at least 100 times higher than that of commercially available 131I-MIBG for therapeutic use. The therapeutic use of 131I-MIBG with a higher than usual specific activity is predicted to result in a greater target-to-nontarget ratio, and therefore enhanced efficacy because of an increased therapeutic index. As the radiochemical yield of the process involving the metadiazobenzylguanidine intermediate is only 13%, compared with 98% for the iododesilylation reaction, the latter is the preferred synthetic route.