[Octreotide scintigraphy in thyroid orbitopathy].

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Immunology

Background:

• Graves' disease involves autoimmune T-cell infiltration of retrobulbar tissues.
• Activated lymphocytes in Graves' ophthalmopathy express somatostatin receptors mediating inflammation.

Observation:

• (111) In-Octreotide scintigraphy evaluated orbital activity in 18 Graves' disease patients.
• Four active-phase patients exhibited orbital somatostatin receptors and received lanreotide treatment.
• Treatment involved 60 mg lanreotide every 15 days for 3 months, with follow-up scintigraphy and clinical assessment.

Findings:

• All four treated patients had ophthalmopathy for under 16 months.
• Three of the four treated patients demonstrated a positive clinical response to lanreotide therapy.

Implications:

• Octreotide scintigraphy is valuable for identifying active Graves' ophthalmopathy.
• This imaging technique aids in selecting patients likely to benefit from somatostatin analogue therapy.
• Establishes a protocol for Nuclear Medicine departments to utilize somatostatin receptor imaging for targeted treatment.