Limitations of /sup 131/I-MIBG scintigraphy in locating pheochromocytomas

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Surgery; (United States)

OSTI ID:5178836

Gough, I R; Thompson, N W; Shapiro, B; Sisson, J C

/sup 131/I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (/sup 131/I-MIBG) scintigraphy for the location of pheochromocytomas has proved to be a major advance in patient management. In combination with computerized tomographic scanning, nearly all pheochromocytomas can be located before surgery and invasive investigations are now indicated only in exceptional cases. However, there are still lessons to be learned concerning the optimal administration and interpretation of /sup 131/I-MIBG scintigraphy. With careful attention to detail and an awareness of isotope distribution, false positive studies should be extremely rare. While the incidence of false negative studies is uncommon, these certainly occur. A patient with sporadic bilateral adrenal medullary hyperplasia, bilateral pheochromocytomas, and additional benign pheochromocytomas arising in paraganglia tissue anterior to the abdominal aorta is presented. The right adrenal pheochromocytoma was not identified on /sup 131/I-MIBG imaging. The authors conclude that even with current locating techniques, the traditional surgical approach to pheochromocytoma should not be abandoned. This involves transabdominal exploration of both adrenal glands and careful examination of all possible sites of extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor
• OSTI ID: 5178836
• Journal Information: Surgery; (United States), Journal Name: Surgery; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN SURGA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550601* -- Medicine-- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ADRENAL GLANDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GLANDS
GUANIDINES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE 131
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTISCANNING
TOMOGRAPHY