The 'double pituitary hot spot' sign of skull base meningioma on gallium‐68‐labelled somatostatin analogue PET. Issue 6 (3rd May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Law, W Phillip; Fiumara, Frank; Fong, William; Macfarlane, David J
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology. Volume 57:Issue 6(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 680
• Page End: 683
• Publication Date: 2013-05-03
• Subjects: Radiology, Medical -- Periodicals; Radiology, Medical -- Australasia -- Periodicals; 616.0757
• DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.12069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-9477

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Gallium‐68 (⁶⁸Ga)‐labelled somatostatin analogue imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) is increasingly replacing single photon (such as ¹¹¹In‐labelled octreotide) imaging in the detection and staging of carcinoid and other neuroendocrine tumours. Among other tissues, pituitary uptake of 1, 4, 7, 10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1, 4, 7, 10‐tetraacetic acid‐octreotate (DOTA‐TATE) and other somatostatin analogues is physiological. DOTA‐TATE also accumulates in meningiomas, which have a high density of somatostatin receptor expression. The combination of pituitary and skull base meningioma uptake results in a characteristic 'double hot spot' appearance, which indicates the presence of a meningioma. This is a case of a middle‐aged woman who underwent ⁶⁸Ga‐DOTA‐TATE PET for confirmation and staging of clinically suspected carcinoid tumour, in whom a skull base meningioma was incidentally discovered. With the increasing use of PET in the management of neuroendocrine tumours – and the not infrequent occurrence of meningiomas – the appearance of meningiomas on somatostatin analogue imaging should be one with which reporting clinicians are familiar.</p> </abstract>