J Korean Soc Endocrinol.  1996 Mar;11(1):85-92.

Two cases of 111Indium Pentetreotide Scan for the Pre- and Post-Operative Evaluation of Localization and Metastasis in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

• Chung JH
• Kim KW
• Ahn KJ
• Min YK
• Lee MS
• Lee MK
• Kim KA
• Kim YS
• Koh EM

Abstract

Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid gland(MTC) constitutes approximatesly 3% to 10% of all malignant thyroid tumors. It appears in both familial and sporadic forms. Metastases are frequently present at diagnosis and are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgical resection of the primary tumor and the metastases is the mainstay of treatment. Although MTC can be detected by elevated serum calcitonin, localization of residual or metastatic foci may be difficult. Many scintigraphic methods have been used for identification of the residual tumor or metastasis. However, most of them have either low sensitivity or low specificity. MTC frequently secretes somatostatin and may express somatostatin receptors. Recently, somatostatin-receptor imaging has been known to be useful for the detection of residual and recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma. A 25 year-old woman who was dignosed as medullary carcinoma by biopsy of thyroid mass is presented. Thirteen years ago, she underwent left thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer(MTC). Laboratory tests revealed an increase in the levels in serum CEA(CEA=557.6 ng/ml) and calcitonin(calcitonin= 720 pg/ml). The second patient, a 30 year-old female, complained of a palpable mass in the left anterior neck. Ten years ago, she underwent a right lobectomy of thyroid gland due to adenomatous goiter. Laboratory tests revealed an increase in the levels in serum CEA(CEA=617 ng/ml) and Calcitonin (Calcitonin=2,300 pg/ml). In both cases, pre- and postoperative In-111 pentetreotide scintigraphy were done and compared with "'I scintigraphy. In-111 pentetreotide scan may be useful for the localization of residual or metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Further study is warranted to define the sensitivity and specificity of the technique.

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Calcitonin
Carcinoma, Medullary
Diagnosis
Drug Therapy
Female
Goiter
Humans
Neck
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Neoplasm, Residual
Radionuclide Imaging
Radiotherapy
Receptors, Somatostatin
Sensitivity and Specificity
Somatostatin
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Neoplasms*
Thyroidectomy
Calcitonin
Receptors, Somatostatin
Somatostatin