Molecular imaging in neuroendocrine tumors: Molecular uptake mechanisms and clinical results

• Published in: Critical reviews in oncology/hematology 2009-09, Vol.71 (3), p.199-213
• Main Authors: Koopmans, Klaas P, Neels, Oliver N, Kema, Ido P, Elsinga, Philip H, Links, Thera P, de Vries, Elisabeth G.E, Jager, Pieter L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Transport Systems - metabolism; Amino Acid Transport Systems - physiology; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnostic imaging; Diagnostic Imaging - methods; Gamma camera imaging; Glucose - metabolism; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Metabolic Networks and Pathways - physiology; Miscellaneous. Technology; Models, Biological; Molecular Probes - pharmacokinetics; Neuroendocrine tumors; Neuroendocrine Tumors - diagnosis; Neuroendocrine Tumors - metabolism; Phosphates - metabolism; Positron emission tomography; Radioactive Tracers; Radionuclide investigations; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Receptors, Cell Surface - physiology; Review
• ISSN: 1040-8428; 1879-0461
• DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2009.02.009

Abstract Neuroendocrine tumors can originate almost everywhere in the body and consist of a great variety of subtypes. This paper focuses on molecular imaging methods using nuclear medicine techniques in neuroendocrine tumors, coupling molecular uptake mechanisms of radiotracers with clinical results. A non-systematic review is presented on receptor based and metabolic imaging methods. Receptor-based imaging covers the molecular backgrounds of somatostatin, vaso-intestinal peptide (VIP), bombesin and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors and their link with nuclear imaging. Imaging methods based on specific metabolic properties include meta-iodo-benzylguanide (MIBG) and dimercapto-sulphuric acid (DMSA-V) scintigraphy as well as more modern positron emission tomography (PET)-based methods using radio-labeled analogues of amino acids, glucose, dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), dopamine and tryptophan. Diagnostic sensitivities are presented for each imaging method and for each neuroendocrine tumor subtype. Finally, a Forest plot analysis of diagnostic performance is presented for each tumor type in order to provide a comprehensive overview for clinical use.