COMPARISON OF MIBG AND PENTETREOTIDE SCINTIGRAPHY IN CHILDREN WITH NEUROBLASTOMA - IS THE EXPRESSION OF SOMATOSTATIN RECEPTORS A PROGNOSTICFACTOR

Background: Neuroblastoma (NB) is the fourth most common pediatric mal ignancy and recent reports suggest a prognostic role of somatostatin r eceptor scintigraphy (SRS) in this disease. Materials and Methods: Twe nty two patients (pts, mean age 43.9 months) with NE were investigated by I-123-MIBG and SRS (In-111-pentetreotide). Twenty-seven comparativ e scans were evaluated and compared for catecholamin excretion, Ultras ound, CT and MRI data. The patients were then. divided into three grou ps. I: patients with manifest disease, II: patients with relapse or. m inimal disease and III: patients with no evidence of disease. Results: MIBG and SRS scans were concordant in 85% (12 true positive, 7 true n egative, 4 false negative). In 4 pts only rite MIBG scan was positive. In 9 pts with stage I-III disease or complete remission no relapse wa s recorded during 19.8 months. In 4 out of 5 pts who died SRS failed t o localize the tumor sites but three MIBG scans was positive. Five out of 6 pts with a relapse free interval of 7.9 months had positive SRS and MIBG scans. Conclusions: in NE SRS can be applied as a specific im aging modality. However in some pts SRS failed due to the lack of rece ptor expression. Somatostatin receptor expression seems to be related with a more favourable clinical outcome.