Value of 18F-FDG and 68Ga-DOTATATE total-body PET/CT imaging in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the value of 68Ga-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-1, 4, 7, 10-tetraacetic acid- D-Phe1-Tyr3-Thr8-octreotide (DOTATATE) combined with 18F-FDG total-body PET/CT imaging in the diagnosis and heterogeneity assessment of primary foci of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN). Methods:Clinical, imaging and pathological data of 39 patients with pathological diagnosis (30 NEN and 9 non-NEN, 18 males and 21 females, age (54.0±11.4) years) who underwent 1/10 activity 18F-FDG and 1/2 activity 68Ga-DOTATATE total-body PET/CT combined imaging in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from August 2020 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The NEN primary foci were classified as neuroendocrine tumor (NET) G1, G2, G3, and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC). Diagnostic efficacy of combined dual-low activity dual-tracer imaging for NEN primary foci and its value for evaluating tumor heterogeneity were analyzed. Results:The sensitivities, specificities, and accuracies of 68Ga-DOTATATE alone and in combination with 18F-FDG total-body PET/CT for the diagnosis of NEN primary foci were 81.2%(26/32), 7/9, 80.5%(33/41) and 90.6%(29/32), 7/9, 87.8%(36/41), respectively. Ten NET G1 and seven NET G2 lesions showed 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake and no 18F-FDG uptake; two NET G2 lesions showed no 68Ga-DOTATATE uptake but 18F-FDG uptake; and two NET G1 and six NET G2 lesions showed both 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-FDG uptake. The radiation doses of 68Ga-DOTATATE, 18F-FDG and a single examination of CT were (1.59±0.50), 0.49(0.44, 0.58) and 11.46(10.53, 12.85) mSv, respectively. Conclusion:Combining total-body PET/CT imaging with dual tracers can effectively diagnose NEN primary foci and assess inter-tumor heterogeneity.