Somatostatin-receptor imaging of neuroendocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumors.
BACKGROUND
Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are often difficult to localize. This study was conducted to examine the value of somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy for visualization of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.


METHODS
Applying the recently developed indium-labeled somatostatin analogue 111In-pentetreotide to 40 patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, the diagnostic power of pentreotide-receptor scintigraphy was evaluated in comparison with conventional imaging techniques.


RESULTS
Expression of somatostatin receptors was observed in the majority of patients (11 of 17 in the foregut, 14 of 16 in the midgut, and 7 of 7 in metastatic neuroendocrine tumors with unknown primary). Comparative imaging by computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and transabdominal ultrasonography yielded false-negative results for somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy in 8 of 40 patients; however, in 16 patients, tumor tissue that had escaped conventional imaging techniques was detected by 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy.


CONCLUSIONS
111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy is a practical, safe, and sensitive procedure for in vivo imaging of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Scherübl
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Steglitz Medical Center, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
Bäder
M
M
Fett
U
U
Hamm
B
B
Schmidt-Gayk
H
H
Koppenhagen
K
K
Dop
F J
FJ
Riecken
E O
EO
Wiedenmann
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013004:Somatostatin; C081788:pentetreotide