3 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Children with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) have low blood sugar, and some of these children may require surgery to remove part or all of their pancreas. In this study, researchers will test how well a radioactive drug, 18-labeled L-fluorodeoxyphenylalanine (called F-DOPA) can detect a form of hyperinsulinism (focal HI) that may be cured by surgery. Eligible participants in this study will have positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans with F-DOPA prior to surgery.
Children with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) have low blood sugar, and some of these children may require surgery. In this study, researchers affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania will test how well a radioactive drug (called F-DOPA) can detect a form of hyperinsulinism that may be cured by surgery. Eligible participants in this study will have positron emission tomography (PET) scans with F-DOPA prior to surgery.
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the utility of \[18F\]-DOPA PET to provide improved presurgical planning and distinguish between focal and diffuse forms of HI. The investigators will perform descriptive analysis, relying on visual analysis to diagnose and localize a focal lesion. Our findings will be compared to surgical histopathology to determine sensitivity and specificity or this technique. The investigators will also track patient surgical outcomes, specifically whether the patient is surgically "cured" or still requires medical management to control residual hypoglycemia.