123I-MIBG SPECT Scan | Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital, China

Meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is a radiopharmaceutical with a molecular structure highly homologous to norepinephrine. It has emerged as a landmark technical modality in the field of neuroendocrine tumor management, offering new hope for precise diagnosis and therapy to patients with various refractory tumors. Its unique mechanism of action is based on the principle of specific targeted uptake: due to its structural similarity to norepinephrine, MIBG can be actively recognized, internalized, and stored in the neurosecretory granules of adrenal medullary tissues and neuroendocrine tumor cells. By labeling MIBG with different radionuclides such as iodine-123 (¹²³I) or iodine-131 (¹³¹I), clinicians can then use specialized imaging equipment like single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to achieve real-time, high-precision tracking of the agent’s distribution in the body, thereby enabling accurate localization and assessment of tumor lesions. In clinical diagnostics, MIBG scintigraphy enables high-precision positional diagnosis of a variety of neuroendocrine tumors, including pheochromocytoma, neuroblastoma, and medullary thyroid carcinoma. It not only clearly identifies the location and size of primary lesions but also comprehensively detects systemic metastatic spread. This provides indispensable core clinical evidence for tumor staging, therapeutic efficacy evaluation, and the formulation of personalized treatment plans. Notably, ¹²³I-labeled MIBG boasts distinct advantages of superior imaging quality and lower radiation dose, making it the ideal diagnostic choice for pediatric patients—particularly those suffering from neuroblastoma. As a high-precision diagnostic and therapeutic modality with stringent technical barriers, only a limited number of medical institutions worldwide are currently capable of performing MIBG studies. In the context of pediatric neuroblastoma, this technology holds irreplaceable clinical significance for early diagnosis, dynamic monitoring of treatment response, and prognostic assessment. It serves as a critical cornerstone for improving survival rates and enhancing the quality of life for pediatric tumor patients.