title: The biology and clinical relevance of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in adrenal tumor management.
abstract: Somatostatin receptors are present in the normal adrenal cortex and medulla. These receptors are also expressed by tumors that cause Cushing's syndrome and by pheochromocytomas. Somatostatin analogues such as octreotide have been developed to target somatostatin receptors for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This article reviews the current knowledge of the biology of somatostatin receptors in the normal adrenal gland and in adrenal tumors and defines the current role of the somatostatin receptor in the diagnosis, staging and management of Cushing's syndrome and pheochromocytomas.
authors.affiliation: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. jappelken@juno.com
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Dluhy
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone