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Breast uptake of Ga-67 in a neonate

K Firman1, R Howman-Giles

  • 1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Children's Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney, Australia.

Insights

Gallium-67 citrate concentrated in a newborn's breasts and abdominal neuroblastoma. This breast uptake was likely due to maternal hormones transferred to the infant.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Neonatal neuroblastoma is a rare malignancy.
  • Gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy is used for tumor imaging.

Observation:

  • A 6-day-old infant presented with an abdominal neuroblastoma.
  • Ga-67 citrate imaging revealed abnormal uptake in both breasts.

Findings:

  • The breast uptake of Ga-67 citrate in the neonate was attributed to hormonal influences.
  • Estrogen and prolactin from maternal circulation likely caused the observed breast concentration.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering maternal hormonal transfer in neonatal imaging.
  • Understanding hormonal effects on radiotracer uptake is crucial for accurate diagnosis in infants.

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