Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood, arising in
the sympathetic nervous system, metastatic in half of the patients at diagnosis, with
bone and bone marrow as the most frequent sites involved. Most neuroblastomas express
the noradrenalin transporter molecule and take up metaiodobenzylguanidine (mIBG),
providing a sensitive and specific method of assessing primary tumor and metastatic
sites (soft tissue, bone marrow, and bone) when labeled with iodine-123, both at diagnosis,
for staging, and as a prognostic factor for evaluation of response to therapy, especially
when a semiquantitative scoring method is used. mIBG labeled with iodine-131 has demonstrated
activity for targeted therapy of neuroblastoma in both relapsed and newly diagnosed
patients, and is being used in clinical trials to optimize treatment of high-risk
patients.
Keywords
neuroblastoma - mIBG - treatment - scoring
