[111In-pentetreotide in the study of tumors expressing somatostatin receptors].
The usefulness of 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors was evaluated.


METHODS
39 patients with clinical or biochemical suspicion of neuroendocrine tumors were studied. 29 patients underwent surgery and diagnosis was confirmed by anatomopathology findings (7 mixed tumors, 6 carcinoids, 3 insulinomas, 3 pheocromocytomas, 2 glucagonomas, 2 medullary thyroid carcinomas, 1 gastrinoma and 5 metastatic lesions). In 10 patients who did not undergo surgery, the diagnostic criteria were based on a 6 month follow-up. 111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy and computed tomography (CT) were performed in all of the patients.


RESULTS
The scintigraphy correctly detected 58% of the primary tumors while the CT was positive in only 45% of the cases. Both techniques detected metastasis in 5 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
111In-pentetreotide scintigraphy is a useful technique to diagnose those tumors that have somatostatin receptors. In our series, the sensitivity of this method was higher than the CT.
Mateos Fernández
J
J
Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, 08036, España.
Pons Pons
F
F
Fuster Pelfort
D
D
Vidal-Sicart
S
S
Lomeña Caballero
F
F
Herranz García-Romero
R
R
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D015408:Gastrinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005935:Glucagonoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013004:Somatostatin; C081788:pentetreotide