Scanning with iodine-131 MIBG in children with solid tumors: an initial appraisal.

Twelve children with malignant disease in whom there was either a clinical, radiologic, or histologic differential diagnosis including neuroblastoma were investigated using iodine-131 metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scanning. In six children in whom a final diagnosis of neuroblastoma was substantiated, scans were positive; in five children with other malignancies, scans were negative. In one child, clinically and radiologically tumor free following excision on an abdominal neuroblastoma, scans were also negative. MIBG scanning proved of value as a discriminant of malignant undifferentiated tumors in children, and in the diagnosis and staging of neuroblastoma. During treatment, MIBG scans in two patients correlated with contemporaneous computed tomographic scans and may allow noninvasive monitoring of therapeutic response and completeness of surgical excision. Primary and recurrent abdominal tumors, and visceral, osseous, and marrow deposits were demonstrated using this technique.