gallium-ga-68-dotatate and Insulinoma

Ectopic insulinomas are extremely rare and challenging to diagnose for clinicians. Precise preoperative localization is essential to successful treatment.. A 23-year-old man presented with a 1-year history of recurrent hypoglycemia.. Examinations in the local hospital did not reveal any pancreatic lesion. After admission, a fasting test and a 5-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) suggested a diagnosis of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Enhanced volume perfusion computed tomography (VPCT) revealed 2 nodules in the tail of the pancreas, a nodule in the gastric antrum, and a nodule in the hilum of the spleen. To differentiate which nodule was responsible for hypoglycemia, we performed 68Ga-Exendin-4 PET/CT and 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT which helped to make a conclusive diagnosis that the lesion in the gastric antrum was an ectopic insulinoma.. The patient was cured with minimally invasive laparoscopic resection of the tumor.. The symptoms were relieved and the blood glucose level remained normal after surgery.. This case shows that 68Gallium-exendin-4 PET/CT is useful for precise localization and thereby successful treatment of insulinoma, especially for occult insulinomas and those derived from an ectopic pancreas.

Topics: Choristoma; Exenatide; Gallium Radioisotopes; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Insulinoma; Male; Organometallic Compounds; Pancreas; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Pyloric Antrum; Radiopharmaceuticals; Recurrence; Stomach Neoplasms; Young Adult

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours comprise a heterogeneous group that are rare but could result in serious manifestations. Surgical excision provides the best approach to treatment but many patients may have small lesions that are difficult to detect, or present with wide spread disease by the time of diagnosis. In addition to clinical assessment and biochemical tests, imaging is a major factor in establishing the diagnosis. Cross-sectional imaging such as US, CT and MR, play a major role in the initial assessment. However, they may miss small lesions or metastatic spread. Functional Imaging became possible with the development of somatostatin receptor imaging using 111In-octreotide, which when combined with anatomical imaging could provide enhanced detection. A major improvement has been achieved by combining receptor and PET inaging through the use of 68Ga-DOTA complexes that have been shown to have a much better sensitivity than other imaging modalities and can provide the basis for radionuclide treatment with 90Y or 177Lu labelled with DOTA complexes.

Topics: Diagnostic Imaging; Gastrinoma; Glucagonoma; Humans; Insulinoma; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neoplasm Staging; Octreotide; Organometallic Compounds; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Somatostatinoma; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vipoma

A 37-year-old active duty male Air Force instructor pilot, with no prior medical history, was found unresponsive at his home after awakening with symptoms of altered mental status when the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) was called. The patient was found to be hypoglycemic with a glucose of 37 mg/dL. The patient recovered after administration of a dextrose bolus. Further investigation revealed that over the last several years, the patient exhibited symptoms of lightheadedness and tremors if fasted greater than 3 hours. Further clinical workup strongly suggested the presence of a neuroendocrine tumor. Initial imaging studies to include a multiphasic dedicated pancreatic computed tomography (CT) scan did not demonstrate a pancreatic lesion. However, the utilization of an innovative new nuclear medicine imaging modality, a 68Ga-Dotatate PET/CT, clearly demonstrated a 19 × 16 mm lesion of the distal pancreatic tail, which guided surgical resection. He underwent a robotic-assisted laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, pathologically characterized as an insulinoma. The patient's symptoms immediately resolved with no recurrence over the next 6 months. The pilot was granted a waiver, returning him to his flying duties. The 68Ga-Dotatate PET/CT enabled the identification of an otherwise occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor ultimately leading to this patient's definitive cure and the salvage of this military asset's aviation career.

Topics: Adult; Humans; Insulinoma; Male; Military Personnel; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Organometallic Compounds; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report the case of a 46-year-old female patient who presented in the emergency department with intermittent disturbances of perception when fasting.. In the diagnostic fasting test, a hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia already occurred after 7h. A sonographic examination was inconspicuous, therefore, a Ga 68-HA-DOTATATE positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) was carried out. The results were indicative of a neuroendocrine neoplasm, which gave rise to the suspicion of an insulinoma.. For surgical treatment the patient was transferred to an external hospital. Following surgery, the patient was free of symptoms.. If multiple symptoms of hypoglycemia are present, an insulinoma as the cause must be considered in the differential diagnostics.

Topics: Fasting; Female; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Insulinoma; Middle Aged; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Organometallic Compounds; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radionuclide Imaging

Reliable localization of insulinoma is critical for successful treatment.. This study compared the accuracy of 68Gallium DOTA-(Tyr3)-octreotate (Ga-DOTATATE) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) to anatomic imaging modalities, selective arterial secretagogue injection (SASI), and intraoperative ultrasound (IO ultrasound) and palpation for localizing insulinoma in patients who were biochemically cured.. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 31 patients who had an insulinoma. The results of CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, IO ultrasound, 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT, SASI, and operative findings were analyzed.. The insulinomas were correctly localized in 17 out of 31 (55%) patients by CT, in 17 out of 28 (61%) by MRI, in 6 out of 28 (21%) by ultrasound, and in 9 out of 10 (90%) by 68Ga-DOTATATE. In 29 of 31 patients (93.5%) who had IO ultrasound, an insulinoma was successfully localized. Thirty patients underwent SASI, and the insulinoma was regionalized in 28 out of 30 patients (93%). In 19 out of 23 patients (83%), manual palpation identified insulinoma. In patients who had all 4 noninvasive imaging studies, CT was concordant with 68Ga-DOTATATE in 6 out of 9 patients (67%), MRI in 8 out of 9 (78%), ultrasound in 0 out of 9; the lesion was only seen by 68Ga-DOTATATE in 1 out of 9 (11%).. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT identifies most insulinomas and may be considered as an adjunct imaging study when all imaging studies are negative and when a minimally invasive surgical approach is planned.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cohort Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Insulinoma; Male; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Prognosis; Radiopharmaceuticals; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult

(68)Gallium-PET ((68)Ga-PET) agents have significant clinical promise. The radionuclide can be produced from a (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator on site and is a convenient alternative to cyclotron-based PET isotopes. The short half-life of (68)Ga permits imaging applications with sufficient radioactivity while maintaining patient dose to an acceptable level. Furthermore, due to superior resolution, (68)Ga-PET agents have the ability to replace current SPECT agents in many applications. This article outlines the upcoming agents and challenges faced during the translational development of (68)Ga agents.

Topics: Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing); Cell Adhesion Molecules; Gallium Radioisotopes; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Half-Life; Insulinoma; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Octreotide; Oligopeptides; Organometallic Compounds; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radionuclide Generators; Radiopharmaceuticals; Receptors, Bombesin; Receptors, Somatostatin; Single-Domain Antibodies; Somatostatin; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A