title: Nuclear medicine imaging of endocrine neoplasms.
abstract: Endocrine tumors are hormonally active benign or malignant neoplasms arising within endocrine organs or from specialized cells of the amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation system. The detection rate of these tumors is increasing as a result of sensitive biochemical tests and high-resolution diagnostic imaging. Medical imaging has become a key component in the diagnosis and staging of endocrine malignancies; however, despite the impressive advances in computed tomography (CT) and MRI, detection of small primary tumors and metastases continues to be a challenge. Functional imaging techniques use radiopharmaceuticals targeted at unique tumor cellular processes in order to provide sensitive and highly specific whole-body imaging. Functional imaging allows prediction of the efficacy of radionuclide or receptor-based therapies and surveillance after therapy. Advances in imaging have not been limited to radiopharmaceuticals. Hybrid scanner technology in the form of PET/CT and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT, designed to combine functional images with anatomic maps, has further improved the diagnostic accuracy. High-resolution hybrid imaging when deployed with novel PET and SPECT radiopharmaceuticals has the potential to dramatically change, individualize, and optimize imaging plans based on the histological grade, degree of differentiation, and genetic profile of each patient's endocrine neoplasm.
authors.affiliation: aNuclear Medicine/Radiology Department, University of Michigan Hospital bNuclear Medicine Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA cDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Medical Physics, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy.
authors.forename: Ka Kit
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Asha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kandathil
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marzola
authors.forename: Milton D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004701:Endocrine Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals