Diagnosis and therapy of neuroblastoma and other neural crest tumors using Iodine-131-meta-iodobenzylguanidine

Abstract

Like pheochromocytoma, neuroblastoma is capable of synthesis and storage of catecholamines. Therefore the authors evaluated the yield of I-131-MIBG total body scintigraphy in the detection of this tumor and applied I-131-MIBG therapeutically. Total body scintigraphy was performed 24, 48 and 96 hrs after administration of 18.5 or 37 MBq I-131-MIBG. 23 patients with neuroblastoma were examined (47 studies). I-131-MIBG-scintigraphy confirmed complete remission in 7 patients and correctly detected residual/recurrent abdominal tumormasses in 5 patients and metastases in 14 patients. In 1 adult patient the scintigram was false negative. 3 children with metastatic neuroblastoma received multiple therapy doses of I-131-MIBG (1.5-3.9 GBq). Reduction of tumor size and good palliation was achieved in 2 patients with progressive disease. Intense accumulation of I-131-MIBG was observed in 1 patient with inoperable medullary thyroid carcinoma and in another with metastatic pheochromocytoma. Both received I-131-MIBG-therapy (3.7-7.9 GBq), resulting in a reduction of the tumor mass. It is concluded that I-131-MIBG, is a useful agent for diagnosis, follow up and therapy of neuroblastoma. It may occasionally be of use in therapy of other neural crest tumors and should therefore be considered when other treatment modalities are ineffective.