Quantitative evaluation of 67Ga-citrate scintigraphy in the management of nephritis.

In 67Ga-citrate scintigraphy (Ga-S), visual assessment is used by evaluating renal-uptake comparison with liver and spine and is simple and objective. We adopted the standardized uptake value (SUV) for 67Ga-citrate and proposed two quantitative indices, active nephritis volume (ANV) and total nephritis uptake (TNU). This study clarified the utility of new Ga-S-based quantitative indices in nephritis management. Before SUV measurement, the Becquerel calibration factor of 67Ga-citrate was obtained using a phantom experiment. Seventy patients who underwent SPECT/CT imaging were studied. SUV, ANV, and TNU were calculated using a quantitative analysis software for bone SPECT. SUVmean, ANV, and TNU were analyzed using the (1) threshold method (set 40%) and constant-value method for (2) vertebral SUVmax, and (3) vertebral SUVmean. ROC analysis was used to evaluate SUV, ANV, and TNU diagnostic abilities to distinguish nephritis presence and absence as well as interstitial nephritis (IN) and non-IN. The area under the curve (AUC) for nephritis presence or absence had a good value (0.80) for SUVmean (1), ANV (3), and TNU (3). The AUC for differentiation between IN and non-IN groups had a good value (0.80) for SUVmean (1). Thus, the new Ga-S-based quantitative indices were useful to evaluate nephritis and distinguish IN and non-IN.

Combined visual and quantitative assessment of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy for staging and restaging of neuroendocrine tumors.

PURPOSE: Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) using 111In-DTPA-DPhe1-octreotide (pentetreotide) has become an integral part of neuroendocrine neoplasm management. The lack of precise quantification is a disadvantage of SRS. This study aimed to adapt the standardized uptake value (SUV) to SRS, establish the SUV range for physiological uptake in the liver, kidney, and spleen, and elucidate the utility of combined visual and quantitative SRS assessment for staging and restaging of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 21 patients with NETs who underwent 111In-pentetreotide SRS. The SUV of physiological and pathological uptake was calculated using bone single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) quantitative analysis software (GI-BONE). For visual analysis, the primary and metastatic lesions were scored visually on planar and SPECT images using a five-point scale. We assessed the relationships between the SUVs of the liver, kidney, and spleen in the dual phase, and among quantitative indices, visual score, and pathological lesions classification. RESULTS: Sixty-three NEN lesions were evaluated. The mean ± standard deviation maximum SUVs (SUVmax) were liver: 4 h, 2.6 ± 1.0; 24 h, 2.2 ± 1.0; kidney: 4 h, 8.9 ± 1.8; 24 h, 7.0 ± 2.0; and spleen; 4 h, 11.3 ± 4.5; 24 h, 11.5 ± 7.6. Higher SUVmax was significantly associated with higher visual scores on dual-phase SPECT (4 h, p < 0.001; 24 h, p < 0.001) (4 h: scores 3 and 4, p < 0.05; scores 3 and 5: p < 0.01; scores 4 and 5: p < 0.01; 24 h: scores 3 and 4, p = 0.0748; scores 3 and 5: p < 0.01; scores 4 and 5: p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: We adapted the SUV to SRS and established the range of SUV for physiological uptake in the liver, kidney, and spleen. Combined visual and quantitative assessment is useful for imaging individual lesions in greater detail, and may serve as a new tumor marker of SRS for staging and restaging of NETs.