SCANS FOR NETs
| SCANS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Bone scan | An imaging test that shows areas of increased or decreased bone turnover, often used to determine if a cancer that began elsewhere has spread to the bones |
| CT scan (computed tomography) | Uses specialized x-ray equipment to obtain cross-sectional images. The CT computer is able to display detailed images of organs, bones and other tissues |
| Contrast-enhanced CT scan | A contrast agent, or “dye,” is given by mouth, injected or given by enema before a CT scan is performed. The contrast agent can highlight specific areas inside the body, resulting in a clearer image. |
| Doppler ultrasound | A noninvasive test used to measure blood flow and blood pressure by bouncing high-frequency ultrasound waves off circulating blood cells |
| Echocardiogram | An imaging test that uses ultrasound to produce moving images of the heart and blood flow through the heart’s valves and structures |
| MIBG (iodine-123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine) | An imaging test that uses a radioactive substance (radioisotope) injected into a vein. A specialized scanner is then used to diagnose pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma. |
| MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) | A type of scanner that uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to create detailed images of organs and structures inside the body. In many cases, a contrast agent will be used to further enhance the images obtained during an MRI scan. |
| Octreotide – also called an OctreoScan or a SRS (somatostatin receptor scintigraphy scan) | Radiolabelled octreotide (a hormone that attaches to tumours) is injected into a vein. Its ability to attach to tumours enables a specialized camera to detect the location of tumours throughout the body. |
| PET scan (position emission tomography) | A nuclear imaging test that uses radiolabelled glucose (FDG) as a tracer. When injected into a vein, this tracer binds to NET lesions that have increased metabolism, which can then be detected and precisely located by imaging with a pET camera about an hour later. This procedure can help to better characterize NETs in select patients. |
| PET scan with gallium 68 (Ga68) octreotide | A nuclear imaging test that uses radiolabelled octreotide (a hormone) as a tracer. It is used as a substitute for the traditional octreotide scan (OctreoScan). When injected into a vein, the Ga68 tracer binds to NET lesions, which can then be detected and precisely located by imaging with a PET camera about an hour later.
Health Canada has approved NETSPOT® (kit for the preparation of gallium (68Ga) oxodotreotide injection) for the evaluation of neuroendocrine tumours (“NETs”). NETSPOT® is the first and only kit for the preparation of gallium (68Ga) oxodotreotide injection, a radioactive diagnostic agent for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of somatostatin receptor overexpression in adult patients with confirmed or suspected well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEPNET) for localizing primary tumours and their metastases. |
| Ultrasound | Ultrasound imaging uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of organs and structures inside the body |