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Octreotide scan
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<p>An octreotide scan is a type of <a href="/facts/SPECT/ag6of05C">SPECT</a> <a href="/facts/Scintigraphy/tkaKjAEH">scintigraphy</a> used to find <a href="/facts/Carcinoid/18TLoUNn">carcinoid</a>, <a href="/facts/Pancreatic_neuroendocrine_tumor/yqFYN8dQ">pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors</a>, and to localize <a href="/facts/Sarcoidosis/qgV7Uoe8">sarcoidosis</a>. It is also called somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS). <a href="/facts/Octreotide/A7su7kgD">Octreotide</a>, a drug similar to <a href="/facts/Somatostatin/GAD2utoz">somatostatin</a>, is <a href="/facts/Radiolabeled/0210Jncn">radiolabeled</a> with <a href="/facts/Indium-111/b0D0r0a5">indium-111</a>, and is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive octreotide attaches to <a href="/facts/Tumor_cells/K0ytzmPz">tumor cells</a> that have receptors for somatostatin (i.e. <a href="/facts/Gastrinoma/rbTJS9tI">gastrinoma</a>, <a href="/facts/Glucagonoma/WY7Pofo8">glucagonoma</a>, etc.). A <a href="/facts/Gamma_camera/coGxuajk">gamma camera</a> detects the radioactive octreotide, and makes pictures showing where the tumor cells are in the body, typically by a <a href="/facts/Single-photon_emission_computed_tomography/ag6of05C">SPECT</a> technique. A <a href="/facts/Technetium-99m/HgIqtvrv">technetium-99m</a> based <a href="/facts/Radiopharmaceutical/x3g6zbB6">radiopharmaceutical</a> kit is also available. </p><p>Octreotide scanning is reported to have a <a href="/facts/Sensitivity_and_specificity/pzc9qfdz">sensitivity</a> between 75% and 100% for detecting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. </p><p>Instead of gamma-emitting 111In, certain octreotide derivatives such as <a href="/facts/Edotreotide/CGwqv2CB">edotreotide</a> (DOTATOC) or <a href="/facts/DOTATATE/79Lq3XFK">DOTATATE</a> are able to be linked by chelation to positron-emitting isotopes such as <a href="/facts/Gallium-68/Wk0C9DbY">gallium-68</a> and <a href="/facts/Copper-64/1KBmNStU">copper-64</a> which in turn can be evaluated with more precise (compared with SPECT) scanning techniques such as <a href="/facts/PET-CT/T9d8A0ro">PET-CT</a>. Thus, the octreotide scan is now being replaced in most centers with <a href="/facts/Gallium_scan/faXc2AHy">gallium-68 DOTATATE</a> and <a href="/facts/Detectnet/UBJVJKLT">copper-64 DOTATATE</a> scans. Somatostatin receptor imaging can now be performed with positron emission tomography (PET) which offers higher resolution and more rapid imaging. </p>