DETECTION OF EXTRATHORACIC MANIFESTATIONS IN SARCOIDOSIS WITH SOMATOSTATIN ANALOG SCINTIGRAPHY

Background and aim of work: Scintigraphy using a long lived radiolabel led somatostatin analogue [In-111-DTPA-D-Phe(1)] - octreotide (OctreoS can(R)) has previously been shown to be useful in the detection and ma nagement of neuroendocrine tumours, as well as in the imaging of vario us other malignant tumours. It was recently reported that the radiopha rmaceutical accumulates also in the granulomatous lesions in Wegener's disease and in sarcoidosis. The present study was undertaken in order to evaluate the usefulness of the technique in detection of extrathor acic manifestations. Methods: OctreoScan(R) scintigraphy was performed in 5 patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis. A patient with a famili al history of multiple endocrine neoplasia served as control. Results: In 4/5 patients previously unknown granulomas were registered, and in the remaining subject the findings at the physical examination were c onfirmed. Conclusions: We conclude that somatostatin analogue scintigr aphy may be helpful in finding extrathoracic granulomatous lesions in sarcoidosis, thus providing good prerequisites for focused biopsy atte mpts.