title: 123I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake in the nape of the neck of children: likely visualization of brown adipose tissue.
abstract: The distribution of radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) has been studied primarily in patients with neuroendocrine tumors-in pediatrics, particularly with neuroblastomas. Sometimes, symmetric accumulation in which no tumor is identified is seen in the nape-of-the-neck region. We estimated visually whether accumulation was found in the nape of the neck and studied the characteristics of the accumulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively, we investigated 266 (123)I-MIBG scintigraphic studies performed on pediatric patients who had been treated for neuroendocrine tumors or who were suspected of having such tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Accumulation in the nape of the neck was seen in 32 of 266 studies (12%); in none of these cases was the accumulation identified as a tumor by other imaging modalities or follow-up studies. In the same individuals, the accumulation varied and it was observed more often during winter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symmetric (123)I-MIBG accumulations in the nape-of-the-neck region observed in children are thought to be related to the uptake in brown adipose tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. chio@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
authors.forename: Chio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: Yo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ushijima
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Kana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Tsunehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine