Intense accumulation of gallium-67 citrate in pancreatic endocrine tumor

• Published in: Japanese journal of radiology 2006-07, Vol.24 (6), p.456-458
• Main Authors: Watanabe, Rieko, Iizuka, Harunao, Kaira, Kyoichi, Mori, Takanori, Takise, Atsushi, Ito, Jun, Motegi, Atsushi, Onozato, Yasuhiro, Ishihara, Hiroshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - diagnostic imaging; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Aged; Biopsy, Needle; Citrates - metabolism; Fatal Outcome; Female; Gallium - metabolism; Humans; Pancreas; Pancreatic Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Pancreatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Pancreatic Neoplasms - pathology; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals - metabolism; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0288-2043; 1867-1071; 1862-5274; 1867-108X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11604-006-0043-0

We report intense accumulation of gallium-67 (Ga-67) citrate in a pancreatic endocrine tumor. A 69-year-old woman was admitted because of cough, fever, and weight loss. An abdominal enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a large tumor located between the liver and pancreas as well as swollen paraaortic lymph nodes. Whole-body scintigraphy with Ga-67 revealed intense accumulation in the upper abdomen corresponding to the mass, as well as in the midabdomen and the mediastinal lesion. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed, and the diagnosis was adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The patient's condition deteriorated, and she died 2 months after admission. The pathological examination at autopsy revealed a pancreatic endocrine tumor. No report has described findings of Ga-67 citrate scintigraphy of pancreatic endocrine tumors. Pancreatic endocrine tumor should be included in a differential diagnosis when such scintigraphic findings are encountered.