Pediatric nuclear oncology

Nuclear medicine plays an important and increasing role in the management of childhood malignancy. This is particularly true in the solid tumours of childhood. It is also helpful in the management of the complications of cancer treatment such as the infections which often accompany immune suppression in oncology patients. Scintigraphy is a complementary investigation to other radiological techniques and adds the functional dimension to anatomical investigations such as CT, MRI and ultrasound. Scintigraphy is used in the initial diagnosis, staging, assessment of tumour response to treatment, detection of recurrence and the diagnosis of complications. In selected malignancies radionuclides are also used in treatment. This review discusses the technical considerations relating to children and the specific techniques relating to pediatric oncology. Specific tumours and the various applications of radionuclides are discussed in particular lymphoma, primary bone tumours, soft tissue sarcomas, neuroblastoma, Iangerhan's cell histiocytosis, Wilms' tumour, brain tumours and leukemia. Uncommon tumours are also discussed and how radionuclides are useful in the investigation of various complications which occur in oncology patients.