Abstract:
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a group of heterogeneous tumors,
18F-FDG is not an ideal tracer for NETs. Most of the NETs are well-differentiated, slow growth, low levels of glucose metabolism.
18F-FDG PET usually show high sensitivity for poorly-differentiated and invasive neuroendocrine carcinoma. Other pro-amine PET agents such as
11C-5-hydroxytryptophan,
18F-fluoro-dopa,
18F-dopa and
11C-dopa have great values for the diagnosis of carcinoid, islet cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma, medullary thyroid carcinoma, hyperinsulinemia and other solid NETs. Some new developed
68Ga-DOTA-peptide1, 4, 7, 10-tetraazacyclododecane-N, N′, N″, N″′-tetraacetic acid(DOTA) somatostatin PET tracers had already been used in NETs diagnosis and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. The preliminary results show that
68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT can improve the course and treatment program design in more than half of NETs patients, which is a promising NETs imaging mode.