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