[Octreotide scintigraphy for the diagnosis of active Graves' ophthalmopathy].
OBJECTIVE
In this study the diagnostic accuracy of orbital octreotide uptake in patients with presumed active Grave's ophthalmopathy (GO) was evaluated.


METHODS
A prospective study of 23 patients suffering from GO was carried out. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images were obtained 4 h after iv injection of 3 mCi 111 indium octreotide. The results were correlated with the patients clinical state during a follow-up of 17.5+/-6 months.


RESULTS
Octreotide scintigraphy was positive in 15 and negative in 8 cases, 12 patients with positive octreotide scintigraphy underwent immunosuppressive treatment and showed a clinically positive response with regression of symptoms. In three cases the patients refused immunosuppressive treatment. Patients with negative pathologic orbital octreotide uptake did not undergo any treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Octreotide scintigraphy is a useful tool to determine the activity state of Graves' ophthalmopathy. Since Graves' ophthalmopathy must be treated in the active phase, octreotide scintigraphy should be performed in subacute cases to facilitate the indications for immunosuppressive treatment.
Ardjomand
N
N
Universitäts-Augenklinik, Karl Franzens Universität Graz. navid.ardjomand@kfunigraz.ac.at
Esche
G
G
Fellner
P
P
Lindner
S
S
Panzitt
M
M
Aigner
R
R
Langmann
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C094279:indium-111-octreotide; D015282:Octreotide