Applications of [131I]m-iodobenzylguanidine ([131I]MIBG).

The development of the aralkylguanidine [131I]m-iodobenzylguanidine ([131I]MIBG) in the University of Michigan Nuclear Medicine Division has led to diagnostic and therapeutic evaluations of all the neuroendocrine tumors. These tumors share the property of uptake, storage and release of [131I]MIBG uptake in chromaffin granules. This property has allowed the detection of pheochromocytomas, the detection of metastases in 46% of such patients, the treatment of malignant pheochromocytomas, the detection of neuroblastoma metastases, the treatment of neuroblastomas and the detection of a percent of apudomas. We have learned how to improve our results and this is discussed.