68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT can be an alternative imaging method in insulinoma patients

Abstract

Insulinomas are the most common cause of hypoglycemia, resulting from endogenous hyperinsulinism. The diagnosis of insulinoma is established by demonstrating inappropriately high serum insulin concentrations during a spontaneous or induced episode of hypoglycemia. Most insulinomas are islet-cell tumors. They are often small (< 2 cm), benign, and difficult to localize with current imaging techniques. Insulinomas can be detected using either noninvasive procedures (e.g., transabdominal ultrasonography, spiral CT, MRI, 111Inpentetreotide imaging, and 18F-L-dihydroxyphenylalanine PET) or invasive procedures (e.g., endoscopic ultrasonography) or a selective arterial calcium stimulation test with hepatic venous sampling. Methods: We performed 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT on 3 patients with insulinoma. Results: All patients' insulinomas were shown clearly with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/ CT. Conclusion: 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT imaging may be a useful noninvasive imaging technique to localize insulinomas preoperatively.