|  | Conditions Treatments | Tumors

Uses for an Octreotide Scan

Octreotide scans use radioactive material to determine whether or not someone has cancer arising from the neuro-endocrine systems. According to Inside Radiology, these types of cancers "relate to the interaction between the nervous system and hormones from the endocrine system--glands that produce hormones in the body." If the patient does have cancer, the scan, which is done several times over a two- to three-day period, will show where it started and whether it has spread, or metastasized, to other parts of the body.

  1. Why an Octreotide Scan?

    • In nuclear scans, small amounts of radiation are ingested or injected into the body, and then tracked. These tests identify cancerous cells in the body, although they don't provide very detailed images. Often radioiodine scans are used, but some types of cancers--such as medulla thyroid tumors--don't absorb iodine, according to Cancer.Org. In such cases, octreotide scans, which involve the use of radioactively tagged hormones, may be done.

    What the Scan Will Indicate

    • A gamma camera scans the entire body, looking for cancerous cells which have absorbed the radioactive material. Concentrations of the octreotide will show where the cancer originated. If it has spread, the scanner will pick up smaller concentrations. The doctor must have this information to determine the best treatment. If the cancer has not spread, surgery may be an option.

    Treatment Response

    • After treatment for the cancer has begun, another octreotide scan can be done to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. The scan will show if tumors have shrunk and whether the spread of the cancer has been stopped or reversed. This scan can be compared with the first to determine whether to continue with the treatment or try a different approach.

    Safety Considerations

    • Because radiation levels are so low, an octreotide scan is relatively safe. However, the doctor will need to know if the patient is the primary caregiver for young children or a nursing mother to take extra precautions or develop an alternative strategy for detecting cancer.

    Uses of Octreotides in Treatment

    • Because octreotides are absorbed by cancerous cells, a small dose of radioactivity--designed to kill the cells, not just identify them--can be attached to the fluid and injected into the bloodstream, according to Macmillian Cancer Support, a British charity.

Tumors - Related Articles