The role of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in the diagnosis and follow-up of the pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Abstract

The aim of investigation was to assess the role of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in diagnosis and follow-up of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy was performed with 740 MBq 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC TOC for diagnosis of primary tumors and follow-up after the therapy. There were 63 true positive, 24 true negative, 4 false positive, and 6 false negative findings. Sensitivity was 91.3 %, specificity 85.7 %, positive predictive value 94.0 %, negative predictive value 80.0 %, accuracy 89.7 %. The SPECT contributed diagnosis in 28 true positive findings. In 32 patients (33 %) somatostatin receptor scintigraphy significantly changed the management of the patients (10 had surgery, in 17 somatostatin analogues, and in 5 peptide receptor radionuclide therapy was introduced). Mean Ki-67 index in true positive patients was 13.8 ?5.0 % while in true negative 7.1 ? 3.4% which is significantly lower at p < 0.05. There was significantly (p < 0.01) higher number of increased chromogranin A values in true positive than in true negative patients (p = 0.000857). Our results confirmed the value of SRS in the diagnosis and follow-up of the patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms PanNEN if primary tumors, recurrences or metastases are suspected, as well as for appropriate choice of the therapy.

Octreotide scintigraphy mimicking whole body bone scan

“…Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is a functional technique for the imaging of NET [3,7,8]. There are variety of peptides which target these receptors which have ability to bind to the various receptor subtypes.…”

“…SPECT images of chest and abdomen were also obtained which showed somatostatin-avid metastatic hepatic lesions as well as widespread skeletal metastases [1,2,4]. We repeated the octreotide scan, to exclude possibility of technical artifacts, but the same pattern was detected again.Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is a functional technique for the imaging of NET [3,7,8]. There are variety of peptides which target these receptors which have ability to bind to the various receptor subtypes.…”