False-Positive Technetium 99m Depreotide Scintigraphy Resulting From Round Atelectasis

Abstract

The authors report two cases of round atelectasis that showed increased accumulation of technetium (Tc) 99m depreotide on planar and single photon emission computed tomographic scintigraphy. It should be considered that round atelectasis is a potential nonmalignant cause for positive 99mTc depreotide scintigraphy.

Role of scintigraphy with technetium-99m depreotide in the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected lung cancer

“…Tc-99m-depreotide uptake in inflammatory processes has been previously described (5,(12)(13)(14)(15) and may be the result of tracer uptake in activated lymphocytes and macrophages (5). Somatostatin receptors have been identified in epithelioid cells of infectious and noninfectious granulomatous processes, which could explain the false-positive 99m Tcdepreotide uptake in round atelectasis (6,16), granulomas (5,11), and sarcoidosis (6). If the 12 pneumonias are excluded, the specificity was 77%.…”

The Value of HRCT and Tc-Depreotide in the Evaluation of Pulmonary Lesions

“…The positive findings in granulomas and in inflammatory and infectious diseases are probably caused by an increased expression of somatostatin receptors on the surface of activated lymphocytes. 21 High uptake in fibrosis, atelectasis, and hamartomas has previously been reported, 12,17,18,22 but the reason is still unclear, unless it can be explained by some infiltration of activated lymphocytes in the area surrounding these lesions. To our knowledge, no one has investigated the presence of somatostatin receptors in hamartomas and fibrotic tissue.…”