SOMATOSTATIN RECEPTOR SCINTIGRAPHY IN THE PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS AND FOLLOW-UP OF GASTRINOMA (ZOLLINGER-ELLISON SYNDROME)

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) was performed in 14 patients (five men, nine women; mean age 51.5 [20-71] years) with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES), a gastrinoma proven in 7 and suspected on clinical or biochemical grounds in 7. The results were compared with those obtained by other methods (ultrasound, computed tomography, angiography). All 12 known tumour manifestations were demonstrated by SRS in seven patients with histologically confirmed gastrinoma. In four patients previously non-localized tumour was revealed by SRS, while in seven other patients the procedure led to modification of the treatment (primary tumour resection: n = 3, resection of metastases: n = 2, percutaneous radiation or chemoembolization: one each). These results suggest the following indications for SRS: (1) staging or re-staging in histologically proven gastrinoma and (2) search for primary tumour in clinically and biochemically suspected ZES.