Catecholamines influence myocardial 123I MIBG uptake in neuroblastoma patients

R L F van der Palen, B F Bulten1, A M C Mavinkurve-Groothuis

  • 1Ben F. Bulten, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (internal postal code 756), P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Tel. +31/243 61 40 48, Fax +31/243 61 89 42,

Insights

Cardiac 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake in neuroblastoma patients is inversely related to catecholamine levels. High catecholamine levels from tumors can lower MIBG uptake, not indicating cardiac dysfunction.

Area of Science:

  • Nuclear medicine
  • Pediatric oncology
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Cardiac 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging is used in neuroblastoma assessment.
  • Factors influencing cardiac MIBG uptake require clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the relationship between catecholamine measurements and cardiac 123I-MIBG uptake in neuroblastoma patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 30 neuroblastoma patients.
  • Assessment of cardiac 123I-MIBG uptake using heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratios and standard deviation scores (SDS).
  • Measurement of urinary catecholamines (dopamine) and metabolites (homovanillic acid [HVA], vanillylmandelic acid [VMA]).

Main Results:

  • 17 patients (57%) had H/M ratio SDS below -1.0; 12 patients (40%) had SDS below -2.0.
  • Significant inverse correlation between average urine metabolites (HVA and VMA) and H/M ratio SDS (r = -0.39, p = 0.04).
  • Significant correlation between urinary HVA and H/M ratio SDS (r = -0.40, p = 0.04).

Conclusions:

  • Routine H/M ratio calculation in 123I-MIBG scintigraphy is not useful for identifying cardiac dysfunction in neuroblastoma.
  • Low cardiac 123I-MIBG uptake is associated with elevated catecholamine levels secreted by neuroblastoma tumors.
Abstract