Bone metastases in patients with gastrinomas: a prospective study of bone scanning, somatostatin receptor scanning, and magnetic resonance image in their detection, frequency, location, and effect of their detection on management.

Abstract

SRS and MRI, because of high sensitivity and specificity, are recommended over bone scanning to screen for bone metastases in patients with gastrinomas. However, because bone metastases can occur initially outside the axial skeleton, SRS is the recommended initial localization method of choice. Bone metastases occur in 7% of all patients and 31% of patients with liver metastases, only occur in patients with liver metastases, are usually in the axial skeleton initially, and their detection changes management in all cases. Patients with pancreatic endocrine tumors with liver metastases should undergo SRS every 6 months to 1 year to detect bone metastases.