title: Superiority of SPECT/CT over planar 123I-mIBG images in neuroblastoma patients with impact on Curie and SIOPEN score values.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The existing most common semi-quantitative systems used for neuroblastoma diagnosis include Curie and SIOPEN scores, which are based on 123I-MIBG planar scans. The purpose of our study was to find out whether a statistically significant difference exists in evaluation based on planar and SPECT/CT scans. We also compared the Curie and SIOPEN methods in terms of their use in regular practice. Patients; method: 45 patients aged 0-10 years; 213 assessments were done in total, and the Curie and SIOPEN scores were determined in each case based on planar and SPECT/CT scans. Student's T-test and the Bland-Altman plot were used for the statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both methods demonstrated a statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001) between planar and SPECT/CT evaluation. In the group of 35 patients with neuroblastoma in clinical stages 3 and 4, in 54% of the patients SPECT/CT detected a lesion that was not visible in the planar scan. In 89% of cases, the lesion was confirmed by another imaging method (CT, MRI). In the group of 10 patients in the clinical stage 1, a difference between planar and SPECT/CT scanning was found only in one patient (10%). In the whole set, 25% patients showed a pathological finding only in soft tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend to perform semiquantitative evaluation of neuroblastoma based on SPECT/CT scans, particularly in patients in clinical stages 3 and 4. It is advisable to include soft tissues in the score assessment, as well, given that only soft tissues may be involved in up to 25.
authors.affiliation: Igor Černý, KNM FN Brno, Jihlavská 20, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic, Tel. +420/777277427, Fax +420/532233840, igicerny@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Černý
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prášek
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kašpárková
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000072098:Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine
keywords: 123I-MIBG-Szintigraphie; Curie-Scoring; Neuroblastom; SIOPEN-Scoring; semiquantitatives 123I-MIBG Scoring