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Updated: Jul 23, 2025
00:05
Robotic Enucleation of an Intra-Pancreatic Insulinoma in the Pancreatic Head
Published on: January 3, 2020
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Ectopic insulinoma: a systematic review.
Fernando Guerrero-Pérez1,2,3, Nuria Vilarrasa4,5,6, Lidia V Huánuco4,5
1Department of Endocrinology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. fguerrerop@bellvitgehospital.cat.
Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
|July 11, 2023
Summary
Ectopic insulinomas, rare tumors causing hypoglycemia, predominantly affect women. Advanced imaging like [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-exedin-4 PET/CT is crucial for locating these extra-pancreatic tumors when standard methods fail.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Ectopic insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors originating outside the pancreas.
- Knowledge is limited, primarily from case reports, hindering comprehensive understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and characterize ectopic insulinomas reported over the last four decades.
- To evaluate diagnostic imaging modalities and clinical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, eLibrary, and ScienceDirect.
- Inclusion of one unreported patient case.
- Analysis of patient demographics, symptoms, tumor characteristics, diagnostic methods, treatment, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- 28 ectopic insulinoma cases identified; 78.6% female, mean age 55.7 years.
- Hypoglycemia was the primary symptom (85.7%).
- High sensitivity of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-exedin-4 PET/CT and 68Ga-labeled DOTA-conjugated somatostatin analogue PET/TC (100%) for localization.
Conclusions:
- Ectopic insulinomas present with hypoglycemia and show a female predominance.
- Functional imaging, particularly PET/CT, is highly effective for tumor localization.
- Clinicians must consider ectopic insulinomas when pancreatic exploration is unrevealing.
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