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Cancer Imaging

Utility of Radiolabeled Somatostatin Receptor Analogues for Staging/Restaging and Treatment of Somatostatin Receptor–Positive Pediatric Tumors

Departments of ^aRadiology and ^bPediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

Key Words. Somatostatin • Scintigraphy • Pentetreotide • Embryonal tumors • Neuroendocrine tumors • Pediatric

Correspondence: Geetika Khanna, M.D., M.S., Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. Telephone: 319-356-1594; Fax: 319-356-2220; e-mail: geetika-khanna{at}uiowa.edu

Disclosure: D.B. has acted as a consultant to Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals within the last 2 years. No other potential conflicts of interest were reported by the authors, planners, reviewers, or staff managers of this article.

In this paper, we review the pediatric oncologic applications of somatostatin receptor–targeted imaging and therapy. Somatostatin receptors are expressed in high densities by embryonal tumors, such as neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma, and neuroendocrine tumors like carcinoids and islet cell tumors. We first review the distribution of these receptors in normal tissues and tumor cells. We then discuss the technique of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) in the pediatric population. Next, the specific clinical applications of SRS with regard to the imaging of neuroblastoma, central nervous system tumors, and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors of childhood are discussed. Finally, we discuss the potential role of somatostatin receptor–targeted radiotherapy for improving the duration and quality of life of children with these tumors.