Octreotide scintigraphy localizes somatostatin receptor-positive islet cell carcinomas

Tyr-3-Octreotide is a synthetic derivative of somatostatin and a somatostatin-receptor analogue. The iodine-123-labelled compound localizes somatostatin-receptor-positive tumours. In this paper two patients are reported in whom somatostatin receptors were demonstrated in vitro. In a 60-year-old female with an islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas, multiple liver metastases and previously unrecognized bone metastases in the right acetabulum could be diagnosed as the reason for a persistent hypoglycaemia. In a 60-year-old male an islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas was localized with 123I-Tyr-3-octreotide. The somatostatin receptors were demonstrated in vitro and the tumour was successfully treated with somatostatin. These studies demonstrate that 123I-Tyr-3-octreotide offers the possibility of localizing somatostatin-receptor-positive tumours and their metastases. Moreover the method makes it possible to determine the receptor status of a tumour in vivo.