Persistent Asymmetric Brain MIBG Activity Related to a Cerebrovascular Infarct

Roles of PET/Computed Tomography in the Evaluation of Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is one of the most common pediatric malignant tumors. Functional imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis, staging, and therapy response monitoring of neuroblastoma. Although metaiodobenzylguanidine scan with single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography remains the mainstay in functional imaging of the neuroblastomas, PET/CT has begun to show increased utility in this clinical setting.

Asymmetric 67Ga Activity in the Head Related to Prior Head Trauma

Ga study was performed in a 10-year-old boy who had a history of motor vehicle accident to evaluate occult infection. No abnormal activity typical of active infection was noted. However, there was significantly decreased activity in the right side of the head, which was related to his head trauma.

SPECT/CT MIBG Imaging Is Crucial in the Follow-up of the Patients With High-Risk Neuroblastoma

BACKGROUND

Planar whole-body imaging with I-radiolabeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (I-MIBG) is routinely used in the follow-up evaluation of neuroblastoma. In recent years, SPECT with integrated low-dose CT (SPECT/CT) has become more accessible. We investigated how much SPECT/CT can have additional diagnostic value over planar imaging in detection of residual and recurrent neuroblastoma.

METHODS

A total of 170 planar I-MIBG imaging scans with SPECT/CT follow-up scans performed in 147 patients with known high-risk neuroblastoma were retrospectively analyzed. Regions of increased I-MIBG uptake on planar images and the findings on SPECT/CT were compared.

RESULTS

In 61% of the studies, the whole-body planar images and SPECT/CT images yielded the same result. In 39% of the time, however, SPECT/CT images provided additional information.

CONCLUSIONS

In the follow-up of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma, SPECT/CT can significantly improve planar imaging interpretation and impact patient management.

Prominent Pulmonary Metastases Without Concurrent Osseous Involvement in Patients With High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Metastases from high-risk neuroblastomas generally are to the bone or bone marrow. Multiple lung metastases are rare, especially when there was no concurrent osseous metastasis. We report 2 cases of high-risk neuroblastomas having prominent lung metastases without concurrent osseous lesion observed.