Bongers V, de Klerk J M, Zonnenberg B A, de Kort G, Lips C J, van Rijk P P
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
J Nucl Med. 1997 Jul;38(7):1024-6.
Iodine-131-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is used in the treatment of carcinoid tumors. Temporary palliation with complete subjective symptomatic response has been reported in these patients. This treatment is usually well tolerated and side-effects are generally limited to nausea, mild hepatic toxicity with spontaneous recovery and temporary myelosuppression. Our case report shows that repeated treatment with [131I]MIBG in a patient with extensive carcinoid liver metastasis may cause severe hepatic toxicity leading to death. Factors such as concomitant use of 5-fluorouracil and the progressive nature of the disease may have contributed to this event.
