124I-MIBG: a new promising positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical for the evaluation of neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor in pediatric patients. Despite the established role of I-123-MIBG and I-131-MIBG scintigraphy in this tumor, only limited data are available regarding the use of I-124-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). We present our preliminary experience with I-124-MIBG PET/CT: two pediatric patients affected by neuroblastoma, who underwent I-124-MIBG PET/CT for pre-therapy distribution evaluation and restaging purposes. We aimed to evaluate whether I-124-MIBG PET/CT can detect as many or more neuroblastoma lesions than I-123/I-131-MIBG imaging. Our cases show promising results, although further validation and standardization of I-124-MIBG PET/CT are required.