The Use of Fluorodopa F 18 Positron Emission Tomography Combined With Computed Tomography in Congenital Hyperinsulinism and Insulinoma
Cook Children's Health Care System
Summary
Low blood sugars are known to cause brain damage in newborn babies. One of the most common causes of low blood sugars persisting beyond the new born period is a condition called congenital hyperinsulinism (HI). This is a disease whereby the pancreas secretes too much insulin and causes low blood sugars. Twenty to forty percent of these babies will have brain damage. There are two forms of this disease. In one form only a small part of the pancreas makes too much insulin (focal HI) and in the other, the whole pancreas make too much insulin (diffuse HI). Another very similar disease is insulinoma which occurs after birth, but also causes hyperinsulinism. If a surgeon could know which part of the pancreas has the focal lesion he could remove it and cure the patient. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a new investigational drug called Fluorodopa F 18, when used with a PET scan, can find the focal lesion and guide the surgeon to remove it, thus curing the patient and preventing further brain damage.
Description
Congenital Hyperinsulinism (HI) is a disorder of insulin secretion that causes profound hypoglycemia leading to significant morbidity. It is the most common form of persistent neonatal hypoglycemia, and the most dangerous. Inappropriate insulin secretion causes not only hypoglycemia but also inability to release free fatty acids from adipose tissue and inability to release glycogen from the liver. Hence the brain is deprived of all the major fuel sources (glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate and lactate) for energy thus leading to the high incidence of brain damage. In up to 50% of cases of congenita…
Eligibility
- Age range
- Up to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with HI attending the Cook Children's Congenital Hyperinsulinism Center and being treated by an Endocrinologist which may be the PI or a partner of this clinician. * The patient's Endocrinologist has determined that the patient cannot be safely managed with standard medical therapy (failed) and surgery is recommended to prevent future episodes of severe hypoglycemia and preserve brain function. Failure of medical therapy is defined as both: * Hypoglycemia (blood glucose \<70 m/dL) on a single measure despite the use of anti-hypoglycemic medications, if applic…
Interventions
- DrugFluorodopa F 18
A dose of Fluorodopa F 18, 3-6 MBq/Kg (0.08-0.16 mCi/kg), will be injected intravenously into the subject under the direct supervision of the radiology sub-investigator. Then, the PET imaging procedure will begin and proceed for up to 70 minutes after injection. An abdominal CT image will be made using intravenous contrast. Both images, PET and CT, will be co-localized by the radiologist for interpretation.
Location
- Cook Children's Medical CenterFort Worth, Texas