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Park, Kim, Kim, Kim, Kang, Kim, Cho, Park, Shin, Park, Cho, Lee, and Kim: The Efficacy of MIBG Scan as a Diagnostic and Docalization Test for Pheochromocytoma
Original Article
Journal of Korean Society of Endocrinology

Journal of Korean Society of Endocrinology 2005; 20(1): 21-28.

Published online: 20 February 2005

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/jkes.2005.20.1.21

The Efficacy of MIBG Scan as a Diagnostic and Docalization Test for Pheochromocytoma

Cheol Ku Park, Kyeong Won Kim, Do Hee Kim, Jae Hyeon Kim, Jun Gu Kang, San Wan Kim, Young Min Cho, Do Joon Park, Chan Soo Shin, Kyong Soo Park, Bo Youn Cho, Hong Kyu Lee, Seong Yeon Kim

Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Received 5 January 2004       Accepted 17 December 2004

Copyright © 2005 Korean Endocrine Society

Abstract

Background

Computed tomography (CT) is currently considered as the initial imaging procedure of choice for the localization of pheochromocytomas in most of the cases. 131I-or 123I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy (MIBG scan) was proven to be a highly specific tool for the detection of adrenal and extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas, but was less sensitive than CT. The present study is aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a MIBG scan in diagnosis and localization of pheochromocytoma when compared to CT.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 27 patients who underwent a MIBG scan for a pheochromocytoma at the Seoul National University Hospital from the year 2000 and 2002. According to the pathological and clinical findings, in 16 the patients pheochromocytoma was confirmed to be positive and the rest 11 of the patients were excluded from the study.

Results

Pheochromocytomas was identified in 16 patients. Eleven of them were localized in adrenal gland and 5 were extra-adrenal lesions. The sensitivity to MIBG scan in adrenal lesions and extra-adrenal lesions, was 72% (8/11) and 40% (2/5) respectively. In our study, the overall sensitivity to MIBG scan was 62% (10/16), and overall specificity was 90.9% (10/11). By CT four were identified to have equivocal biochemical abnormalities, but were definite and extraadrenal tumors by MIBG scan showed abnormal uptakes in two of them.

Conclusion

The MIBG scan was especially useful in 2 of the 27 patients but we had no experienced about the additional benefits of a MIBG scan in the other 25 cases. Our results reveal that a MIBG scan should be performed carefully for the diagnosis and localization of a pheochromocytoma, while considering cost and time of operation.

Keywords: Pheochromocytoma, Metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy, Adrenal gland, Extra-adrenal gland

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Flow diagram of diagnosis of pheochromocytoma
jkse-20-21-g001
Table 1
Diagnosis Accuracy of MIBG Scan
jkse-20-21-i001
Table 2
Results of MIBG Scans, and Pathologic and CT Findings in 4 Patients with Pheochromocytoma Whose Biochemical Studies were Equivocal
jkse-20-21-i002
Table 3
Clinical, Biochemical, and CT Findings According to Result of MIBG Scan in 16 Patients with Pheochromocytoma
jkse-20-21-i003

Statistical significance was evaluated by *Mann-Whitney test and †Fishers exact test

NS: non-significant (p>0.05)

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