Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in thymoma imaging method and clinical application

Pathol Res Pract. 1999;195(8):575-81. doi: 10.1016/S0344-0338(99)80008-9.

Abstract

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy with 111In-[DTPA-D-Phe1]-octreotide has the potential for visualizing primary and recurrent thymomas in patients with myasthenia gravis, whereas thymic hyperplasias fail to accumulate somatostatin analog peptides. We demonstrate somatostatin receptor imaging findings in a patient with a mixed encapsulated thymoma which exhibited intense 111In-[DTPA-D-Phe1]-octreotide uptake in early and late scans. In another patient with a history of malignant thymoma 111In-[DTPA-D-Phe1]-octreotide accumulation was clearly seen in a mass suspected to be a recurrence. This paper describes the imaging protocol including Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and discusses the clinical applications of this feasible functional imaging method in patients with thymomas.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myasthenia Gravis / complications
  • Octreotide / analogs & derivatives*
  • Pentetic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals*
  • Receptors, Somatostatin / metabolism*
  • Thymoma / complications
  • Thymoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / complications
  • Thymus Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Receptors, Somatostatin
  • SDZ 215-811
  • Pentetic Acid
  • Octreotide