DIAGNOSTIC USEFULNESS OF RADIOLABELED PENTETREOTIDE SCINTIGRAPHY AND THERAPEUTIC EFFICIENCY OF OCTREOTIDE IN A CASE OF INSULINOMA

Although the functional diagnosis of insulinoma is quite easy, its top ographic diagnosis still constitutes a major challenge since conventio nal radiological techniques, e.g. ultrasonography, computed tomography and even selective angiography, fail to recognize the tumor in number s of insulinomas. We report an observation of a benign insulinoma in a n 81-year-old woman that escaped detection by ultrasonography and CT b ut was later localized by both endoscopic ultrasonography and somatost atin receptor scintigraphy. It illustrates the usefulness of such rece nt imaging techniques for the localization of islet cell tumors that e scaped detection by ultrasonography and CT. Moreover, in our elderly p atient who refused surgical intervention, hypoglycemia was corrected b y octreotide administration emphasizing the predictive value of In-111 -pentetreotide scintigraphy on the subsequent response to octreotide t herapy in patients in whom the optimal treatment (surgical resection) is not possible.