PREFERENTIAL LOCALIZATION OF REGIONAL METASTASES FROM GASTROENTEROPANCREATIC ENDOCRINE TUMORS WITH SOMATOSTATIN-RECEPTOR SCINTIGRAPHY

Somatostatin-receptor imaging is an effective method for localizing an d staging neuroendocrine tumors. We describe patients with gastroenter opancreatic endocrine tumors who underwent preoperative indium In III pentetreotide scintigraphy. In 3 patients without prior resections, th e results of a In-111 pentetreotide scan were positive because of unsu spected regional lymph node metastases without localization of the pri mary tumors. In these patients, an extensive intraoperative search was required to identify the primary tumors, despite the positive preoper ative scan results. In a fourth patient, who had previously undergone resection of a duodenal gastrinoma, 2 regional nodal metastases were i dentified by a In-111 pentetreotide scan.