۶۸Ga-DOTATATE Radioisotope scan to detect neuroendocrine tumors; A Cross-Sectional Study

Objevtive(s): Neuroendocrine tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that arise from the peptide-producing cells of the neuroendocrine system. Different functional imaging methods have been suggested to diagnose NETs. There is still not enough evidence to recommend ۶۸Ga-DOTATATE as a standard diagnostic tool in NETs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the value of ۶۸Ga-DOTATATE scan in detecting NETs.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. All patients with a pathologically confirmed NET tumor referred to Masih Daneshvari Hospital affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences entered the study. Patients underwent a ۶۸Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT. All statistical analysis were performed by SPSS software version ۱۸.Results: Forty patients with a mean age of ۴۸.۱±۱۵.۸۰ years entered the study. Twenty-one (۵۲.۵%) were male and ۱۹ (۴۷.۵%) female. In the studied patients, neuroendocrine tumor was present in ۱۹ cases (۴۷.۵%) in pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, ۹ (۲۲.۵%) in lung, ۳ (۷.۵%) in mediastinum and adrenal gland, ۶ cases (۵%) in liver and ۳ other sites. There was no significant association between mean age and gender with primary location of the tumor. The meanSUVmax was ۱۱.۶۲±۲۰.۰۲ and the the mean tumor size was ۳۸.۲۵±۳۱.۳۵ mm. The mean size of the metastasis was ۴۰.۵۵±۲۴.۵۳ mm. The mean percentage of ki-۶۷ was ۱۲.۵۴±۱۸.۴۰. There was no significant correlation between SUVmax of the lesion and age (r=۰.۰۶۳, P=۰.۷۰۱), tumor size (r=-۰.۶۳, P=۰.۰۶۷) or Ki-۶۷ (r=۰.۰۱۱, P=۰.۹۶۰). In ۲۰ cases, metastases were reported, of which ۱۴ were (۷۰%) in the liver, ۳ in the lungs (۱۵%), ۲ in the gastrointestinal and cervical lymph nodes, and ۱ in the bones and pancreas(%۵).Conclusion:۶۸Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT could find the primary or metastasis sites of NETs with good quality images. In general, this modality can enhance the management in patients with NETs.

Keywords:

۶۸Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT , Neuroendocrine tumors , Diagnosis