SOMATOSTATIN RECEPTOR IMAGING IN SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER

To determine its usefulness, we evaluated In-111-DTPA-Octreotide (octr eotide scintigraphy) in the initial staging of 19 patients with histol ogically proven small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and compared the results to those of conventional imaging. Images performed during initial sta ging demonstrated 21 known pulmonary lesions and two known supraclavic ular nodes. We detected a previously unknown mediastinal lesion. The n umber of metastases was underestimated, with no Liver (5), brain (1) o r skin metastases detected. Bone lesions were identified in 4 out of 5 patients, There were fewer lesions detected with octreotide scintigra phy than with bone scintigraphy (except for one case). We therefore co nclude that octreotide scintigraphy is a highly effective method for d etecting SCLC primary tumour and supraclavicular nodes; the procedure is of limited value for distant metastasis, Further studies are needed to establish its ability for detecting residual intrathoracic disease , and confirm the value of octreotide scintigraphy in differentiating residual disease from other benign lesions. Copyright (C) 1996 Publish ed by Elsevier Science Ltd