Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy for early detection of regional and distant metastases of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Three patients are described who had regional and distant metastases of medullary thyroid cancer detected by somatostatin receptor scintigraphy but not by CT; two had minimal disease that was amenable to surgery. The first patient had been followed for 2 years before having a repeated scan and positive CT, with subsequent surgical removal of metastatic paratracheal nodes. The plasma calcitonin level, however, did not approach normal values after surgery, and a third scan showed persistence of focal uptake in the left paratracheal area of the lower neck, whereas CT was negative.

Radiographic evaluation of weight-bearing orthotics and their effect on flexible pes planus.

Objective: To determine whether any positive change in the alignment of the bones of the feet occur with the use of custom-made flexible orthotics, cast by weight bearing, in individuals having flexible pes planus.

Methods: Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were obtained with and without orthotics in place. The anteroposterior and lateral talocalcaneal angles and the lateral pitch of both the left and right foot were assessed.

Somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy in the management of gastroenteropancreatic tumors.

Objective: This study evaluates the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy in the management of patients with proven or high clinical suspicion of gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumors.

Methods: Forty-one patients were studied by planar and tomographic imaging at 4 h and 24 h after 111In-pentetreotide injection. Scintigraphic findings were compared with computed tomography, and in several patients also with ultrasound, angiography, biopsy, and/or surgery, when performed.

Somatostatin-receptor imaging of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

In-111 pentetreotide scintigraphy of 10 patients with residual or metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma is described. Six patients had sporadic tumor and 4 had MEN IIB. Foci of increased tracer uptake were observed in 9 patients: in the thyroid bed (4 patients), the mediastinum (3 patients.

Gallbladder visualization with In-111 labeled octreotide.

In-111 DTPA octreotide, a labeled somatostatin analog, was reported to be superior to I-123 octreotide for detection of somatostatin-receptor-bearing tumors because of longer half-life and better labeling characteristics. In addition, renal rather than hepatobiliary clearance decreases intestinal interference and greatly reduces accumulation of the tracer in the gallbladder. Using the In-111 labeled octreotide, the authors noted distinct gallbladder visualization in one patient with an insulinoma who was studied following an overnight fast.